Family
by fujin of shadows
Summary: "You are my only family." Can Chifuyu protect her brother if the family that she so loathed comes after him? Takes place after Volume 7 of the Light Novel. Incest in future chapters. If you are offended by that kind of material, you've been warn
1. Chapter 1

_**FAMILY**_

_**CHAPTER ONE: PROLOGUE PART 1**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own IS: Infinite Stratos but I own this fiction and any other OC's in this story **_

_ITALIC: THOUGHTS_

**BOLD: MOVEMENTS**

[Calling]: Communication through communication link or phone.

* * *

><p>"Fufufufuufu..."<p>

GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

"GUEEEEH! HOUKI, STOP IT! MY NECK'S ABOUT TO BREAK!...GUUEE!"

Carrying the completely drunk Houki, I walked all the way back to IS Academy.

_I'll return the dress next time._ I told the restaurant staff, and came out. However, it's still a heavy journey.

'_Besides, I'm in a tuxedo. And Houki's in a dress...'_

It can't be helped if someone asks us which party we came back from.

And Houki continued to smile as she slept, and the surrounding eyes would look at us.

"Haa...a lot of things sure happened today. I'm so tired..."

But never mind. It's not like I felt any worse.

'_Houki looks beautiful in a dress.'_

Considering that she's leaning on my back and sleeping, Houki let out stable breathing.

My childhood friend, who gave a completely refreshing charm after changing clothes, really looks cute to my somewhat biased eyes.

"...Ichika..."

"Hm? Are you awake?"

"Uu."

Nope. She's still drunk. Speaking of which, maybe she's all dizzy now.

"Anyonya."

"I don't understand what you're trying to say."

"Funi."

"Do you want some water?"

"...Syuki."

Hn? What do I need to take note of?

"Houki."

"...Suu..."

Ahh, she fell asleep again.

Really, you.

...

...

...

"Then, Takatsuki-san. I'll leave her to you."

Finally making my way to the first year dorm of IS Academy; I brought Houki to her room and left her with her roommate.

Most likely, there'll be gossip of me carrying Houki back. I tried my best to avoid a few people, but some girls caught me.

Thinking about this, as I walked out, I met Chifuyu-nee.

"What's the matter, Orimura? Why are you dressed like this?"

"Erm, I went to watch a musical."

*PAK!* My brain got smashed by the karate chop.

"Oww!"

"Who are you trying to fool?"

How does she know?

'_Huh, more than that. Isn't there something I need to ask?'_

Luckily, there's no one else on the corridor.

I walked to Chifuyu-nee and asked sternly.

"Chifuyu-nee."

"Call me Orimura-sensei."

"Erm...it's about family..."

It's hard to say it out.

Having been abandoned by our parents, we siblings have always treated family matters as taboo.

But even so, I had to ask.

"Well, is there anyone else...in the family...other than us...?"

"..."

Chifuyu-nee's expression changed.

I got overwhelmed by the suffocating tension.

"Like, an imouto, or something..."

"Nope."

"No? But..."

-Someone who looked just like Chifuyu-nee existed.

"You are my only family."

"Bu—"

Seeing that I intended to inquire until the end, Chifuyu-nee walked away with large strides.

That back figure of hers indicated that this is the end of the conversation.

"..."

I'm unable to understand at all, and I remained rooted to the spot even after Chifuyu-nee escaped my vision.

I know Chifuyu-nee better than anyone. I know her as much as she knew me.

But, sometimes, I don't understand her.

I don't understand why she avoids speaking about our family. And, in rare occasions, when our family is brought up, she spoke with unspeakable venom. It's like, just mentioning them, made her unspeakably angry. Which isn't good news to those around her.

I do not hold any sort of love or attachment to my parents who had abandoned us. I hate them in fact but, deep down, I want to know who they are and the reason why they left us.

I mean, it is hard to believe that any sane parents would abandon a person like Chifuyu-nee. She's the most amazing sister in the world, regardless of her unique brand of love.

As the image of Chifuyu-nee flash before my eyes, my thoughts drifted to the girl that resembles her, Madoka Orimura. Physically speaking, she's identical to Chifuyu-nee but, in our short meeting, I could tell that she is different from her, like night and day. That smile on Madoka's face, that sadistic smile that she wore with Chifuyu-nee's face, send shivers down my spine.

And those words that she told me! What did it mean?

_"In order for me to be myself...I'll take your life."_

Those words that came out of her mouth in our first official meeting, those words were enough to stun me, to baffle me, to ignite my curiosity.

Who is she? I want to know,

I want to know if Madoka, a person that looks exactly like Chifuyu-nee, is related to us, in any way, shape or form.

I want to know the reason why they left us; I want to know why our parents abandoned me and Chifuyu-nee.

But more importantly, deep down, I want to know the family that Chifuyu-nee loathed so much.

I clench my fist as the questions that haunted me for weeks since I met Madoka came rushing to me. I want answers; I desperately want answers but….

I sigh in defeat as I started walking to my room to rest.

Chifuyu-nee will not give me the answers that I so crave. And I know the reason why.

Chifuyu-nee will protect me from anything that would end up harming me, be it the enemy or from myself, she will protect me with all her might. To her, the mere knowledge of the family that abandoned us, that alone will harm me. Thus, she will not answer me for my own good, which is her opinion, not mine.

I am eternally grateful of her. I owe her my life, no; I owe her more than that. I will follow her to hell and back, if necessary. I will not question her, she knows best.

But still, I cannot help but be curious. I want to satisfy my curiosity.

I groaned loudly as I loosen my tuxedo in frustration, I have so many questions and I have no answers.

And I know, for me to get those answer, I need to do the one thing that I swore to myself I would never do.

I have to go against Chifuyu-nee.

***Shudder***

That thought alone scared the crap out of me. Disobeying my sister is as good as signing my own death sentence.

"Maybe, there is another way." I told myself. I just remembered that she is a member of Phantom Task, and Tatenashi and Laura seems to know a lot about them. Maybe if I ask them, they may know something about her. A little information about her is enough to satisfy my curiosity.

If they won't tell me, maybe Kanzashi...

***ZING***

I suddenly froze from where I was standing as electricity course through my spine. My eyes widen as I felt a presence, it was sinister but it was familiar, very familiar.

I turned around and run towards the direction where I felt the presence was coming from. I run along the corridors and jump off stairs as I felt the sense of fear and, strangely enough, joy coursing through my body as I felt that presence getting stronger.

For some reason, I felt like whoever has this presence, is important to me. This presence was drawing towards it and I instinctively follow.

I burst through the doors of the first year dorm and I was shocked when I saw the girl who has occupied my mind ever since the day I saw her.

Madoka Orimura was standing across me, five meters away from me, wearing the standard I.S Academy uniform and, I cannot believe I'm admitting this, she looks good in it.

"You came," She started as she smirked sadistically at me.

"Of course," I answered calmly yet I know that I could die in any given moment. My I.S, Byakushiki, is not with me right now and is currently being repaired because of the damage it took when those unmanned I.S attacked us during the tournament.

I was standing across a person who has proven, time and time again, that she has no problem killing her enemies. I am across somebody who had shown that she could hold her own against four I.S Representative Candidates with ease.

She's a better pilot than me and I know that she has no problem killing me. Heck, she could kill me right now; it would be so easy for her to do so.

Yet…

For some reason, deep down, I felt safe with her, like, I knew her.

***BANG***

I spoke too soon as I tiled my head to avoid a bullet that she fired at me.

"You made this too easy." Her voiced echoed in my ears as I saw her holding a handgun, with a silencer attach to it, aiming at me.

Again, for some reason, I know that she won't kill me, not now anyway.

"Who are you?" I asked her as I walk slowly towards her.

Madoka raised an eyebrow at my question. "Weren't you listening to me when we first met face to face, I am you." Madoka answered snidely.

"And in order for you to be yourself, you have to kill me." I said out suddenly and she merely nodded.

"Well, at least you remembered something." She mumbled loud enough for me to hear before pressing the barrel of her gun on my forehead.

I trusted her, it must be because I'm an idiot, but I trusted her, I trusted her to not kill me. "You have no idea how tempting this is." She whispered to me in a hoarse tone.

"You won't kill me, not like this." I said with confidence.

"You don't know me."

"But I've seen you fight, and that is enough for me to know that you won't kill me, not without playing with me first." I earned a cruel laughed from her as that statement came out of my mouth.

"True, I prefer my enemies to die while I drain the hope out of their eyes."

Somebody needs therapy, a very extensive therapy.

I could hear her finger twitching on the trigger of the gun. "If you continue thinking rude things about me, I will blow your brains out of your cranium, if you even have one."

Wait a minute…Did she just…I mean, come on…It can't be…..

I sighed at that, I won't even ask how she knew what I was thinking.

"Why did you come here?" After that incident in the Cannonball Fast, and after she tried to kill me during my birthday, I would have thought that she would keep a low profile, and not waltz in to a place where the strongest I.S pilot in the world is currently residing.

By the way, the strongest I.S pilot is my sister.

"I came here to kill you." I am not surprise by that answer. "But seeing that you won't amuse me tonight, I will allow you to live for a little while longer." With that said she put her gun back and walked away, her eyes not leaving for an instance.

As I watch her retreat, a sudden idea formed in my mind. It was stupid and suicidal, but, I can get my answer from her, by hook or by crook.

"Madoka, wait," I called her name and for some reason, her name felt right coming out of my mouth. "I want some answers and I have the feeling that you have those answers."

"The dead should not talk."

Last I check, I am still part of the living.

"You said, you want to kill me. Fine, let's do this." She stop walked and gave me a curious look, her sadistic smirk suddenly disappearing. "The damage on my I.S, it would be repaired in three days time. I will see you in three days."

Madoka visibly froze at that before grinning at me like a predator. "Are you challenging me to a duel?" She asked me in a gleeful tone.

Against my better judgment, I nodded. "You said that you are me, then that makes me you." I am confused of what I just said. "You know me, I don't know you. I want some answer to some of my questions, you want to kill me. I want something from you; you want to end my life." I then walked towards her before stopping three feet from her.

"In three days, let's have a duel, you against me in an I.S fight. I win, you answer some of my questions, I lose, well, I think I know that losing to you means forfeiting my life." I offered as extended my hand towards her.

She looks amused by my challenge and I don't blame her. I witness her fight once and that alone tells me that she is way better than me. If she could fight all my friends and win, then I have no chance of actually beating her. Hell, the probability of me actually beating her is so small that it is actually pitiful.

"You want to die swinging, fine, I accept." Madoka answered with a sadistic laugh before leaning towards my ear. I shiver a little as I felt her breath on my ear. "There is an island, not far from here; we fight there, come alone." She whispered to me.

"Of course, but promise, swear to me that you will also come alone." I whispered sullenly to her.

"I don't need backup to get rid of you." She told me as she took a couple of step backward. "You die in seven days, I suggest you say goodbye to your whores."

I ignore her insult to my friends. "If I am going to die, then tell me one thing, are we related." I asked passively. "Are you my cousin, or are you my sister?"

Madoka gave me a glare before smiling sweetly at me. That smile terrified me but I held my grown. "Don't worry, Onii-chan, I'll make your death as fast and as painless as possible." With that said, she shook my hand with a firm grip.

Well, that answered one of my questions.

_**(Scene Change) (Normal POV)**_

"What a surprise, my estrange granddaughter, visiting her grandmother in the depths of hell, what a heart wrenching honor." A woman in her late sixties commented snidely. The woman was covered with rugs yet her presence spells royalty and regality.

"I see being thrown into prison did not cure you of your high and mighty attitude." A woman in her early twenties muttered with a sharp tone. "Tell me, what I should do to you for you to tone down that blasted attitude of yours."

"A blade through the throat would be a start. But you had already proven that you don't have the guts to do that." The old woman answered with a hoarse tone. "A pity really, you were such a fine specimen, a master piece among master piece with only one fault." The woman commented snidely.

"And you are nothing but an old, senile woman, whom is living in borrowed time." The woman retorted much to her grandmother's amusement.

"It seems that I did not discipline you enough when you were but a child, Chifuyu, talking to your grandmother with that kind of tone, such disrespect." The old woman muttered distastefully but smiled regardless when the bullet proof mirror that separated the two shattered, courtesy of the punch thrown by Chifuyu.

"You are no family of mine." Chifuyu snarled as the guards behind her stiffen at the venom in her voice. "I'm just here to tell you that your worthless daughter is at large, again."

The old woman looked visibly please by that information. "Really now," The old woman said in delight before grinning. "By the way child, how is my grandson? I trust that you are treating him well."

Chifuyu narrowed her eyes at that question as she tried to resist the urged to throttle the old woman in front of her.

Taking Chifuyu's silence as an answer, the old woman chuckled menacingly, enough to make the guards behind her granddaughter shiver in fright. "I will take that answer as a yes." The woman said with a menacing tone. "I was truly disappointed of you when you run off with him when he was two years old. He had such potential, more so than you and miles a head compare to that useless waste of space, yet, you ruined that potential by taking him away from his home…" The old woman shifted her head to avoid a black sword the Chifuyu deployed.

"You should really control your temper, child, I thought I taught you better than this." The old woman muttered as she tapped the black sword with her index finger. "Still, I do understand your reason why you run off with him, I truly do. Still, it is quite pitiful of you; falling in love with your own brother even when he was a baby." The old woman chuckled goodheartedly.

"You should know, after all, grandfather was your older brother." Chifuyu muttered as she dematerialize the black sword that she use to threaten her grandmother.

"So you admit that you fell in love with him at first sight." The old woman joked snidely.

"Are you that desperate to die?"

The two very prideful women glared at each other and the tension between them was so thick that the guards that were supposed to guard the prisoner were in the brink of collapsing.

After a minute, the old woman let out a sigh. "What do you want?" The old woman conceded in defeat.

"I want my old master's opinion."

"Shoot,"

"What are the odds of me beating _that woman?_" Chifuyu asked with a grim tone which was very unlike her.

There was a moment of silence as Chifuyu's grandmother looked at her like she was an imbecile. "You intend to challenge my daughter, your mother." Chifuyu's silence was all the answer the old woman needed.

_**(Scene Change) (Ichika POV)**_

Three days, in three days, I am going to duel the person who looks like Chifuyu-nee, and, according to her, my sister.

I did not get any sleep last night as I busied myself watching the fight that we, my friends and I, had with Madoka in the Cannonball fast. As I watch her dismantle Cecilia, for the tenth time, I could not help but feel terrified.

She danced circles around us, no, scratch that, she played with us, she played us like fools.

She took down Laura first, considering that she is the only one who has any experience facing enemies like her.

That force Char to stand back to protect Laura. That alone was significant because, even though Char only pilots a Second Generation I.S, she is the best overall pilot among us.

With those two out of the way, Madoka dismantled our group. Two Third Generation and two Fourth Generation ISes, four ISes in total were no match against her.

As I watch this battle again and again, I could finally determine her I.S's, Silent Zephyrs, total armaments. Silent Zephyrs is just like Blue Tears, only with better weaponry. A high-energy rifle with a bayonet attachment and a short blade but those two are merely secondary weaponry. What made that I.S and its pilot extremely dangerous is those bits.

Unlike Blue Tears, who only has four bits, Silent Zephyrs has ten bits, four for attacking and six for defending. The four bits for attacking has a higher output compare to the bits of the Blue Tears and those six shield bits, individually, were sturdy enough to stop Rin's impact cannons. Individually, even one of those six bits were strong enough to defend her from a strong attack, if she use those six simultaneously, then attacking her in any direction would be complicated, if not impossible.

"She has no blind spot." I muttered to myself as I watch her avoid every attack Cecilia and her Blue Tears threw at her. Even without her shield bits, she was able to dodge at least four hundred long-to-mid range attacks that Cecilia threw at her. I knew the number of attack Cecilia threw at her because I've counted each time a beam passed through Madoka.

I watch the same footage ten times, I've notice many things, but, I still cannot see any holes in Madoka's fighting style.

Offense and defense, attacking, defending, and dodging, she balances everything perfectly. The only person who can balance all of those with no effort at all is Chifuyu-nee.

Madoka looks like Chifuyu-nee and she has the skills to back up her beauty.

I groaned loudly as I press the replay button for the eleventh time. I need to study her. I need to study her movements, her attack patterns, everything. For me to have a small chance of beating her, I need to have a strategy that revolves around her fighting style.

"Ichika, what are you watching." I was so occupied with the footage that I was watching that I jumped to my feet in surprise at the sound of a familiar voice.

"K-K-Kanzashi, what are you doing in my room." I asked in surprise as I look at her. I was a bit embarrassed when she let out a small chuckle at my reaction.

"Sorry for scaring you," She said before looking down at her feet shyly. "About last night…..." She trailed off awkwardly.

I looked at her, confused for a moment, before my eyes widen. She must come here for that. "If you're here for your DVDs, I place them on my bed." I pointed her towards my bed.

"That's not it." I was startled as she almost shouted those words. "Did you… I mean did you hear… What I'm getting at is…What are you watching?" She asked me as her eyes drifted to my T.V screen.

At the reminder of that, my eyes drifted on the T.V that is showing Madoka running circles around us. "I'm watching the footage when Phantom Task attacked us during the Cannonball Fast." I answered as I sat down on the couch. Kanzashi followed suit as the two of us watch the footage in silence.

This is the eleventh time I watch this footage and after twelve minutes, the skirmish only lasted twelve minutes, total, and I still could not see any holes in her fighting style. I'm actually at awe; I'm at awe at how amazing she is.

"She is good." Kanzashi commented as I press the reply button for the twelfth time.

"Don't remind me." I grumbled a bit. "She has no openings, no weaknesses, no nothing!" I mumbled in frustration.

"She has one, actually." Kanzashi corrected me as she fast forward the footage, stopping at a particular clip. "Here," She pointed when the bits flew horizontally towards her. "Five of those bits returned to her for recharging after ten minutes of their deployment. Considering the I.S has ten bits instead of four like the Blue Tears of the England Representative Cadet, it's only natural that the bits would manually return to the I.S to recover some energy."

OK, I did not notice that.

I fast forward footage again, and truth be told, during the ten minute mark, at least half of her bits returned to her. I back the footage again to the clip where she launches the bits and I notice that there is at least three minutes interval in deploying the bits.

"You see there," Kanzashi pointed when the bits returned to her. "She is immobile for at least two seconds when those bits are recharging and deploying them will take another four seconds, all in all, she is immobile for at least six seconds every time those bits need recharging."

Kanzashi, I could kiss you.

In my joy of finally finding a weakness in Madoka's fighting style, I gave a Kanzashi an embrace, shaking her wildly in glee. "Thank you, thank you so much, Kanzashi." I exclaimed happily. I now know how to approach her; the only problem now is how to reach her.

In my time in I.S Academy, I've realize two things; first, long range have the advantage over close range ISes; second, the only way for a close range I.S to beat a long range I.S is to close the distance between them to neutralize any long range attack.

'_I have a small chance to get close to her with Double Ignition Boost but, those bits would make it hard for me to actually land a hit. She's better controlling those things than Cecilia.'_ Ichika thought with a small frown. _'I either destroy all of those bits or just charge in and hope for the best.'_

"I-Ich-Ichi-Ichika," I heard Kanzashi stammered suddenly.

"Yes,"

"Let go of me, please." She requested and I suddenly notice me holding her close to my chest. I panic as I jumped to my feet and started apologizing to her.

Luckily for me, she just waved it off, though, the blush on her cheeks made her look absolutely cute.

"No worries, Ichika." She said as the red tint on her cheeks slowly subsides. "But why are you watching this. Knowing Phantom Task, they won't attack this academy, not unless they know for sure they could win." Her voice darkened a bit as she said those words.

Taking note of her voice, I answered her with my most convincing lying voice, which isn't saying much. "Well, considering my school year, I figured that I should prepare for the next person to attack me." Well, looking back, I think that was the best lie I ever told in my whole life.

In this semester, I have been assaulted by an unmanned I.S (twice now), the Valkyrie Trace System Incident (I have a large scar on my arm to remember that incident), the Silver Gospel Incident (whatever those things that hit me, they hurt like hell), my first meeting with a Phantom Task Operative (I will never look at a spider the same way ever again), and my first fight with Madoka (My friends and I were lucky to be alive).

Yes, considering the school year that I have, preparing for the next machine to attack is a wise decision in my part.

Well, it would be if I survive Madoka in three days time.

Kanzashi looked at me curiously, a thoughtful look adorning her face. "Well, you were involved in a lot of crazy incidents this semester." Tell me something I don't know. "You mind if I help." Kanzashi asked and I was taken aback.

"Wait, what?"

"I want to help you." She whispered as she fidgeted a little, a small blush plastered on her face.

Again, she is very cute in her own way. The innocent look works on her.

"Y-Y-Yeah, I mean, I really need to make up for that slap I gave you in our second meeting." She told me and I cannot help but pat her on the head.

"Don't worry about that, I had worst." Having Chifuyu-nee as my sister, a slap is like ice cream. Chifuyu-nee, her kendo is way beyond master level, hand to hand, she knows over one hundred martial arts, her jujitsu is a bit low level, for her, which doesn't say much considering she's a black belter in every martial art she knew. Considering my childhood, a slap on the face is better than being punch on the gut or being thrown fifteen feet off the ground.

"But I want to help." She told me in a determine tone.

"You did help; you showed me a weakness in her I.S." That helps my odds of winning against her a bit. "That's already a big help."

Kanzashi looked down for a bit before giving me another determine look. "Give me the footage; I can make you a computer simulation, a simulation of you fighting the pilot of that I.S." She assured me in a calm tone and I was taken back at this.

Okay, I know what a simulation is; it's an imitation of the operation of a real-world process or system over time. I have been through so many simulations ever since I entered I.S Academy and picked up several things from all of them. One of which, is that a simulation can only be made with the use of a lot of real word data.

A single footage is not enough to capture Madoka's fighting style in a simulation.

"I know that." I am sick and tired of girls reading my mind. "But I can at least give you a clear overview of what she's capable off, better than watching this tape over and over again."

She has a point. I watched this video twelve times and I didn't even notice that weakness if Madoka's I.S. With a simulation, I could prepare my mind and, if Byakushi's repairs would be finish earlier than scheduled, body.

I sigh in defeat as I retrieve the disc from the DVD and gave it to Kanzashi. "Thank you," I told her with a small smile.

"We're friends, it's the least I can do considering your ability to attract trouble." Don't remind me, will you. "But, can you tell me something?"

"Sure,"

"Why are you interested in her?"

"It's complicated."

_**(Scene Change) (Ichika POV)**_

Holiday Break started right after the tag team tournament, so I.S Academy is almost devoid of students. Some decided to stay, my friends included. This is a very pleasant surprise.

I don't have to worry about multiple girls trampling me.

""ICHIKA, DIE!"" Rin shouted loudly as Char and Laura tried to restrain her from attacking me.

I just have to worry about my friends throttling me for some reason.

"If this is about last night, I will tell you right now that I did not get Houki drunk." I told her calmly as I drank my fifth coffee of the morning.

As expected, the news of me carrying a completely drunk Houki spread like wildfire and it quickly reach the ears of my friends. Thus, while Houki is suffering from a very nasty hang-over, my friends cornered me and are currently in the process of interrogating me.

"Oh yeah, I need to return that dress." I grumbled under my breath.

"Return WHAT, Ichika-san..." Cecilia asked with a smile that reminded me of a rattle snake, a venomous rattle snake.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing." I exclaimed immediately, wanting to avoid any physical abuse if any misunderstanding arises.

"So, you and Houki…" Char asked calmly and I suddenly shiver in dread at the sight of her force smile. For a girl that has the most beautiful smile, she sure can scare a guy.

"Well…you see… the waiter messed up our order and serve us wine." I explained slowly.

***BOINK***

For my trouble, I was hit over the head by Rin.

"How do you expect to believe samurai girl got drunk by just drinking wine?" Rin demanded while shaking her fist.

"It's not my fault that she can't take her liquor." I answered quickly.

***SWOOSH***

I felt the familiar feeling of wood hitting my head with such force that I was pushed face first on the table; luckily, I only took a light breakfast.

"Don't talk about people behind their back." Houki glared at me while holding a bokken. One of her hands was holding her head and her eyes were dark red. "My head," She moaned loudly as she stumbled to the chair beside Laura.

"I suggest you take aspirin, helps with the hang-over." Laura said with a voice that shouts experience with these kinds of things.

Houki opened her mouth only to groan sullenly as she dropped her head on the table. "Somebody, get me aspirin."

Laura stared at Houki for a moment before shaking her head. "Wow, you really are a lightweight, just like what my bride said."

"SHUT UP!" Houki shouted, her voice was echoing in pain.

We chuckled at Houki's misfortune before I handed a bottle of water to her before going to the counter to ask for an aspirin.

Five minutes later, the aspirin is taking its affect slowly but it was enough for Houki to sit upright. Still, the look on her face told us that she still have a major headache.

Note to self, don't give Houki any sort of alcoholic beverage.

"So, how's your dinner with Ichika-san?" Cecilia asked with a snicker.

Houki only answered her with a glare before groaning again. "I will never understand why tousan like to drink those stuffs."

I shook my head in amusement before something came to my mind. "Hey guys, what do you guys intend to do this holiday break?" I asked them suddenly. "We have at least two weeks before we have to take our Final Exam."

The girls look thoughtful for a moment before they all sigh in unison.

What teamwork.

"I was called by my commanders to report to Germany when the repairs of Schwarzer Regen are completed." Laura grumbled loudly. "They want a full report of what happened during the tag tournament."

"Same here," The other Representative Cadets answered with the same annoyed tone.

"My Okāsan wants me home for some reason." Houki mumbled under her breath.

Among the five of them, Houki is the only who seems glad to go back home, strange.

"What about you, Ichika?" Rin asked, bringing the attention to the group to me.

"I'm staying here." It would be so boring staying in my house without Chifuyu-nee. "Considering Tatenashi-san is still in the hospital, as student council vice president, I have to pick up some of her work." Yeah, not looking forwards to that.

Breakfast ended after that and all of us, surprisingly, parted ways.

Good, I need to check on Byakushiki.

_**(Scene Change) (Ichika POV)**_

"Orimura-kun,"

"Good morning, Sakakibara-sensei," I greeted politely with a curt bow. Sakakibara-sensei, is a 29 year old instructor, gentle to students, has great morals, and has good looks, and the adviser of the Conditioning and Maintenance Club. She is the instructor in charge of the repairs of damage I.S. "I'm here to check on Byakushiki's repairs." If possible, I also need someone to help me change Byakushiki's settings.

Sakakibara-sensei's eyes widen a bit before handing me Byakushiki's close form. "Here you go, Orimura-kun, everything is all ready for you."

I raised an eyebrow as I looked at the gauntlet that was Byakushiki's close form. "Wait a minute; I thought the repairs would be finish in three days."

"Initially, yes, but Byakushiki really surprise us. It's Battle Damage and Self-repair is unnatural fast." Sakakibara-sensei informed me and I was intrigued by this news.

As I.S gains experience during any situation while it is active, (be it normal training or combat, or even a simple checkup) it records data about its every components and proceeds with optimization process. When IS receive damage, it automatically tries to repair the damage during its Closed Form period. The resulting data collected would be implemented throughout its component to improve their efficiency, but the damaged component would be left out of equation.

Still, I'm not that good with all that jargon so I decided to ask Kanzashi after she is finish making that simulation. Kanzashi is probably the smartest student when it comes to the technical aspect of I.S.

I instantly wore the close form of Byakushiki and because I want to see if the repairs were actually done right, I quickly deploy my I.S.

In my time with Byakushiki, I started feeling the I.S as a part of my body, as an extension of my soul to be exact. It may sound cliché but, every time I deploy Byakushiki, I could literally feel a warm feeling surrounding my body, the same feeling I had whenever Chifuyu-nee sang me a lullaby when I was a kid.

Contrary to popular belief, Chifuyu-nee have other talents aside from figthing. For example, singing.

As I deploy Byakushi, a spiral of light surrounded me and I suddenly found myself staring at a beautiful white beach. Over the horizon, a silver sun was slowly rising from the pure white sea. The sight was a perfect harmony.

The beautiful scenery was breathtaking.

Creepy, but breathtaking.

"_**You like?"**_

I whipped my head to the source of the voice and I found myself looking at a girl that was very familiar to me. I saw a girl, a very pretty girl, standing in the middle of the ocean. The waves surrounded her protectively as she stood there with a smile. Her shiny bright white hair danced around her. The white one-piece dress fluttered under the sea breeze, occasionally flipping up. She's very familiar but for some reason, I cannot remember where and when the last time I saw her.

She smiled at me and before I could open my mouth, I suddenly found myself impale by a sword.

Funny thing about this is…. It didn't hurt…. In fact, it felt nice….

Strange…

"_**Be quick, I want to be whole soon." **_She whispered to me melodically.

I looked at her with a bewildered expression and I was about to open my mouth when strips of silver light suddenly enveloped me.

I suddenly found myself back in the maintenance room, Byakushiki already deploy while Sakakibara-sensei was looking at me with a worried look.

"Orimura-kun, are you okay, you spaced out a bit?" She said with a worried tone.

I smiled at her to assure her that nothing is wrong with me. "I'm fine sensei, I just didn't get much sleep last night, you know, being interviewed by the government and all."

"Yes, I heard about that. Those agents held you and the Personal I.S users for two hours."

"Yeah," I mumbled, not wanting to remember their annoying and irritating questions. "Sensei, is it okay for me to take Byakushiki off for a flight?"

"Of course, Orimura-kun. All the Arenas are empty but I suggest you use Arena 3." Sakakibara-sensei advised me and I nodded as I dematerialized Byakushiki and headed to Arena 3. Strange as it may seem, Byakushiki did not disappear like usual, being converted into particles of light; instead, it disappeared by being reduced into strips of light.

Strange, just strange, still, I need Kanzashi or Char. Those two could help me adjust Byakushiki's settings, special the energy contribution.

One thing I learned from my numerous sparing sessions with my friends is that I really need to learn how to conserve energy in a fight.

Still, those words that white haired girl said is echoing in my mind.

_**(Scene Change) **_

Squall Meusel is currently walking along a dark and long corridor, her expression was passive yet her hands were shaking with barely concealed fear. She hated being in the main headquarters of Phantom Task. It is not because the entire facility gives off a haunted aura, no, she hated being in the main headquarters because the leader, the leader of Phantom Task never leaves the place. The main base was devoid of any life, there were no guards in sight, which is strange considering that the leader of their organization was residing in the oversize fortress that she called home.

Squall stop in front of a large door and with a deep breath, she opened the door and entered the room. The sight of the familiar throne room made of marble and filled with stolen arts from World War Two made Squall a little bit nervous. The leader of Phantom Task was an avid art collector.

"Squall-chan, you should have knocked." Squall at the feeling of cold steel pressing onto the back of her neck. "It's impolite to enter my room without my permission." The melodic yet demonic voice of their leader made Squall nervous.

Squall is one of the most fearsome commanders of Phantom Task, yet, in front of the leader, she was nothing but a coward. "My apologies, milady." Squall muttered calmly.

The leader chuckled silently before retracting the knife. "Very well then, considering you are my favorite commander, I'll forgive you; just these once, so don't let it happen again. Do we have an understanding?"

"Yes," Squall muttered with a small shudder of fear.

"Very good then," Squall then know how but their leader, adorned with a robe the covered her entire body, appeared in front of her. She didn't know how but their leader was so fast, so quick, so agile, so silent that she could move like a shadow without anyone noticing her. "Seeing that you are here, do you have something to report about my failure?" The woman asked playfully as she skipped towards her throne.

Squall took a calming breath as she watches her leader sit down to her throne. "Her progress is acceptable, her compatibility has now reach S-level, her…." Squall was silence when a small beam grazed her cheek. The scary thing about this is that she did not see her deploy any parts of her I.S or even move her arm.

"That technique is called the Invincible Bullet, you like?" Squall did not give an answer as she took a step back. "No, my dear, I don't care about her progress as an I.S pilot, considering my first failure is already a scary-good pilot in her own right and I will not delude myself into thinking that my second failure would match her, no, I do not care about her progress." The leader said in a dismissing fashion. "Did she show any signs of having my bloodline?"

Squall took another step back. Unlike the other commanders, she was aware of their leader's bloodline, the bloodline that is to set the standard for the next generation.

"I apologies milady, but she has yet to materialize any signs of having your bloodline." Squall answered truthfully while eyeing the nearest exit. If she angered the leader, then at least she would have chance to run before the next beam is fired.

Instead of her head being blasted, she was met by a rare sight, the sight and sound of their leader laughing hysterically. "As expected, considering the person I use to bear her, it is expected that she will also be a failure like her father." Their leader exclaimed with a rather gleeful tone. "The first one is also a failure but she compensate that by training her already impressive skill set through her rigorous training, my second failure, well, the less said about her, the better." The leader then let a long ***hmmm* **sound, making her sound thoughtful.

"Yes, it seems that my third child is the only one who had inherited my bloodline." The leader of the Phantom Task muttered gleefully. "He has not yet awakened it but it's only a matter of time, after all, I awaken the bloodline at age 16." The leader muttered with a soft laugh.

"Milady, are you sure that he has your bloodline." Squall asked carefully. "I mean, if the other two did not have it, what makes you think he possesses it. In the skills department alone, he is nothing compare to his two elder sister." Squall pointed out and she was met by a glare enough to make her flinch.

In a split of a second, Squall suddenly found herself pinned to the wall, lifted a couple of inches from the ground while a hand was tightly wrapped around her neck as the leader of the Phantom Task choke the life out of her. "My daughters are a failure and their fathers are worthless. My son, on the other hand, grew up in an undesirable environment; thus, his potential has been shunned, and that is the fault of my first failure. His father, he is the only one who is acceptable among those two trashes that I was force to use." Squall gasped for air as she tried to remove the hand from her neck but their leader's hand was firmly grasping her neck. Squall was about to lose consciousness when she was thrown half way across the room to the large door connecting the throne room to the rest of the facility.

"You can insult those two failures of mine all you want, I don't care, what you cannot do is insult my son and his father. If you insult even one of them, I will personally rip your throat out." The woman hissed and Squall instantly cowers as she tried to catch her breath.

"My….my….my apologies, milady." Squall muttered as she kneels down in front of the woman that could have easily killed her by just flicking her fingers.

There was a moment of silence before Squall was lifted to her feet via her hair. "I have a job for you and for your squad, consider this as your punishment for insulting my son."

"Milady!"

"It's time to see if he truly inherited my blood."

* * *

><p><em><strong>THIS IS MY NEW BRAIN CHILD…<strong>_

_**I wrote this fic because my BETA have yet to return chapter five of White Knight…Finals is hell in both our schedules….**_

_**I actually four plots that I want to write.**_

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><p><em><strong>First, Ichika having an ex-girlfriend that suddenly came back to his life (I really want to write that fic).<strong>_

_**Second, Ichika secretly dating Tabane (I could not write another secret base fic, I already have a Pokemon and Negima fic with that kind of theme)**_

_**Third, Infinite Stratos that is based on the manga SEIKOKU NO RYUU KISHI (Read that manga on Mangahere, it very good and the art is kick ass)**_

_**The fourth one is this….**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please enjoy….and Review…and enjoy<strong>_


	2. Chapter 2

_**FAMILY**_

_**CHAPTER Two: PROLOGUE PART 2**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own IS: Infinite Stratos but I own this fiction and any other OC's in this story**_

_ITALIC: THOUGHTS_

**BOLD: MOVEMENTS**

[Calling]: Communication through communication link or phone.

* * *

><p>"Milady," Autumn greeted as she went down to her knees. Meeting the infamous and, not to mention, the ruthless leader of Phantom Task was rare, considering only the commanders are allowed to enter the main headquarters, and that is with the risk of dying.<p>

"Stand, whoever you are." The leader of Phantom Task ordered with a wave of her hand. She did not have time or effort to memorize the names of some of her cannon fodders (subordinates).

Autumn did as she was ordered to and quickly stood beside Squall. The two harden Phantom Task soldiers stiffened as the leader of their organization gazed at the two.

After a minute, she spoke. "Where is that failure of mine?" Squall could only groaned at the absent of her prodigy. "I thought that she would, I don't know, be standing here, basking upon my greatness or something, as usual."

"Milady, Madoka has been MIA for three days now." Autumn informed her respectfully.

Squall could not help but bury her head on her hands as she instinctively step back while their leader gave Autumn a look, her eyes smiling maliciously. Her striking lilac eyes were the only features that could be seen through her robe. "Can I…Who are you?" Their leader asked pleasantly.

"My name is Autumn, Milady." Autumn answered, delighted that her leader asked her name.

That was short lived when their leader suddenly backhanded her, with such force that she was thrown across the room. She landed on the ground harshly, a large hand mark on her cheek.

"Pull her up." The leader ordered with a cheerful tone.

Squall consented as she gently helped Autumn back to her feet and brought her in front of their leader.

Autumn would have glared at her, regardless if she was the leader of their organization, but resented when a hand was suddenly thrust towards her throat. Autumn found herself grasping for breath as she was lifted a three feet from the ground.

This feat alone is an impressive showing of strength, considering the leader of Phantom Task being in her early forties and the fact that her hand is very slender as it is beautiful.

"You are below Squall-chan so I must inform you of your manners when it comes to me." Their leader said with a voice that is use to reprimand a small child. "Only speak when I ask you too, alright." Autumn nodded as her eyes rolled at the back of her head.

The leader of Phantom Task chuckled before throwing Autumn's body aside. "Squall-chan, you should really teach your subordinate proper manners and etiquettes, they would live longer." She advised her favorite commander.

"I shall remember that, milady."

"You better, but back to the topic at hand, where is that failure. It is quite rude of her to be absent when her own _mother _asked for her presence." It took Squall all her will power not to roll her eyes. A request from her is as good as an order.

"I do not really know, milady, she is very independent and only follows orders during operations." Squall answered, wanting to be out of their leader's presence as soon as humanly possible.

"Is that so…" Squall nodded before taking another step back. "Didn't you tell me that failure had a run in with my son?"

"Yes, milady," Squall answered, not liking where this conversation is leading.

The leader of Phantom Task adopted a thoughtful look before clapping her hands in a delighted fashion. "Squall-chan, pack my bags, I am going on a trip, and you and what's her name over their (Autumn) will accompany me."

Squall raised an eyebrow at this. There leader barely leaves headquarters, with good reasons.

"Come on now, Squall-chan, contrary to popular belief, I am human and I do want to have a small glimpse on my long lost son and my prodigal failure." She said before skipping passed Squall.

"Milady, does that mean we are headed to I.S Academy?" Squall asked as she felt a beam grazing her cheek again.

"That goes without asking, Squall-chan. Now be a dear and pack my baggage, after all, you do not want your delicate leader doing manual labor, do you?"

'_Delicate my ass.'_ Squall thought snidely, not having the courage to actually insult her out in the open. '_The only thing delicate about you is your face and body.'_

_**(Scene Change) (Ichika POV)**_

"Thank you for the help, Kanzashi." I said with a thankful tone while entering several commands and codes to adjust Byakushi's settings. In front of me was Kanzashi. She was kind enough to assist me in tweaking the settings of my I.S.

I am still impressed and bewildered at her ability to use eight terminals at the same time.

"No thanks needed, Ichika-kun." Where did that –kun came from? "You don't mind if I use some of Byakushi's data to improve my Uchigane Nishiki?"

"I don't mind." I answered her quickly before returning back to my work. "After all, it's my fault that you don't have your Personal I.S. By all means, Byakushiki should have been yours."

"Byakushiki's armaments will not fit me as well as they fit you, they use too much energy." Kanzashi muttered while shaking her head. "Byakushiki is essentially a one-hit kill I.S unit. For Yukihiria Nigata to use the Barrier Void Attack, it exceeds its natural energy consumption by fifteen percent and Setsura takes too much energy with each weapon shift. Reiraku Byakuya can only be use for five minutes, maximum and that alone will drain Byakushiki of all of its shield energy." She informed me as the two of us made several changes.

"At maximum, Byakushiki can only last for thirty minutes in a straight fight in its current Energy Setting." That does not sound good. "But, if we change the initial energy consumption of each weapon, we may increase Byakushiki's performance time by at least ten percent, thirteen percent maximum but at the cost of lowering the power output and performance of your weapons." That will not give me much operation time but it will do.

"Okay, how do we do that?" I asked her politely, agreeing with her idea.

"You do know that the performance of your weapons will lower by a considerable margin if we do this." Kanzashi said but I nodded, not understanding half of the words she said since we started.

"Well, considering how bad my aim is, I think it's better if I focus on the operation time of my I.S." Most of the times I got beat by my friends is when my I.S ran out of energy. I would sacrifice power to increase Byakushiki's stamina.

I might even last long against Madoka if I take this approach.

Kanzashi gave me a look before giving me a beautiful smile. "Okay then, but you have to follow my instructions."

"Aye, captain!" We shared a laugh at this before we started customizing Byakushiki's energy setting.

It's fun working with Kanzashi. She's work oriented but she is also fun to talk too. She's good at explaining complex jargons and was able to break down all those concepts that my friends tried to explain to me.

The two of us worked in silence as I followed Kanzashi's instructions to the letter.

"I'll be sending you a program, upload it to Byakushiki's OS, okay?" Kanzashi instructed after thirty minutes.

She also works very fast.

I quickly downloaded those programs and I was blown away with their complexity. I know the program is complex because I could not understand it for the life of me.

Yes I'm an idiot, but at least I'm honest with myself. As my sister one said, an honest idiot is the best kind of idiot.

"Kanzashi, have I ever told you that you're a genius." I complimented her gleefully. Because of her, my chances of actually winning against Madoka is constantly increasing.

Maybe, just maybe, I have a chance against her.

Kanzashi blush suddenly as she tried to bury her face behind the multiple terminals in front of her. "Ichika-kun, were not done yet, we still need to make several changes on your machines weapons systems and not to mention we need to make adjustments on Byakushiki's control system. The program that I gave you will just help you with the energy consumption of each weapon. We still need to construct a program for the energy distribution of Byakushiki, the original program will not cut it for what you are planning. After that, we need to make several changes to the Operating System to accommodate all the programs, not to mention we have to synchronize everything to avoid any problems with the mobility of Byakushiki. We still have a lot to work on"

"That's beside the point," I didn't understand some of the jargons that she just said but I will just take her word for it. "You're a very smart girl, Kanzashi. I'm glad to have you as a friend and thanks again for helping me." I smiled at her appreciatively, knowing the maintenance that we will both do to Byakushiki will determine whether I live or die in three days time.

I didn't know why but Kanzashi suddenly look away. "I'm not that great, Ichika-kun, your friends could have done this as easily as I could."

"No they won't." I responded calmly before laughing. "Those five mostly concentrate on their combat skills. They have nothing on you when it comes to technical skills." I told her knowingly. "My friends, they're good in I.S Combat but when it comes to I.S maintenance and tuning, they need several people helping them or they just drop the job on some person that I really do not know, unlike you who could take care of her I.S on her own without any sort of help." I let out a chuckle as I caress the arm where Byakushiki's close form is place.

"I'm jealous of you, you know, you're a very bright girl but you are still very humble even though you are very talented. You're a very amazing girl, I mean you could build your very own I.S singlehandedly (not exactly but I won't tell her that) and you could even handle all the technical and computer stuff related to it, I am very impress. I doubt Tatenashi-san could do half the things that you could do" I complimented her and I was surprised when Kanzashi suddenly stood up and gave me a bow.

"Pardon me, Ichika-kun, I need to get a drink." She told me before running off.

Strange, was it something I said?

_**(Scene Change) (Kanzashi POV)**_

I was praise.

I was praised by Ichika-kun.

He told me I was special, he told me that I was better than his friend in something. He even told me that I am better than my sister in something.

I leaned back on the door of the prep room that we were accommodating. I place my hand on my heart and I could feel it beating wildly.

_***DOKI* *DOKI* *DOKI***_

I am so happy, so very happy right now.

The person that I like complimented me; he complimented me with beautiful words that I did not deserve. And for what, because of my Computer Skills and my technical skills in I.S.

I cannot believe that taking those classes would give such rewards.

But still, I have a lot to do. Considering Ichika-kun's novice skills with the computer and his limited technical knowledge in I.S, the blunt of tuning Byakushiki would fall onto me. I have a lot of systems to edit, a lot of programs to make, and a lot of systems to synchronize, and not to mention the simulation that I have to make for him…

It doesn't matter, with the data that I'm getting from Byakushiki, I could finish Uchigane Nishiki earlier than expected and I could formulate its Operating System ahead of schedule. Helping Ichika-kun will also help me.

Not to mention, I can finally get to know him better.

The time I spend with him during the tag team tournament was not enough for me. We spend most of our time arguing…No, that's wrong, I've spend most of those time acting coldly and dismissing him.

I regretted that now but seeing that I have a second chance to get to know him, I will not waste it. We may have a lot of work ahead of us but it would be worth it, for me to be alone with him, I don't care if the work load is as enormous as Mt. Fuji.

I took a deep breath before getting back to my feet. I may squeeze a couple more minutes of work before lunch. We're both lucky that it is holiday break and the instructors were kind enough to not give us any assignments. I can focus all my time helping Ichika-kun because of their generosity.

I took a deep breath before reaching to open the door but the door suddenly opened from the inside, much to my surprised.

Ichika appeared in front of me, a smile plastered on his face.

"Maybe we should rest for a bit." He offered me gently. "Let's go to my room, I can cook you up something for lunch."

I was startled by this; did he just invite me to his room?

Forget that, can I consider this invitation as a date, I mean, he did ask me out.

Wait a minute he asked me out, he asked me out, HE ASKED ME OUT!

I couldn't see my face but I could feel my cheeks heating up as he gently grabbed my hand and warmth of his hand sends shivers down my spine. He slowly led me away from the prep room to his room.

For the first time in my life, I am looking forward to have lunch with somebody that is not family.

_**(Scene Change) **_

"Squall," Autumn whispered quietly to her commander and lover **(Volume 5, Epilogue: Beginning of the Story)**. "How strong is our leader?" Autumn asked silently as she listened to their leader's humming. For her, the sound of that hum was like a funeral march.

The two Phantom Task Operatives were seated four chairs behind their leader. They were currently in a private jet that was headed to Japan.

"I honestly do not know." Squall answered with a shiver. "The leader, she's crazy powerful. I've seen her fight a handful of times and those who were unfortunate enough to meet her in the battlefield, dies before they even knew what hit them." Squall exclaimed, remembering those spectacular and phenomenal feats she had witness their leader do before her eyes.

"Is she human?"

"No," Squall answered without hesitation. "She is human in laments term, she is flesh and bones just like us but, the leader had done things that no human is capable of doing." Squall stated seriously.

"She's that bad?" Autumn asked in disbelief.

"Let me put it to you this way, if you compare her to Adolf Hitler, Adolf Hitler would look like an angel." Autumn could not help but flinch at how cold her lover's voice is.

In the organization, it is well known that Squall is the favorite of the leader of Phantom Task. The other commanders, instead of feeling jealous, actually felt pity towards Squall. Some of them even said that she was living in borrowed time. Some even bought her a coffin.

"The leader, she's an enigma, a very powerful enigma. She barely leaves headquarters but whenever she does, a massacre always takes place and she is the one doing it. She always smiles, always in a good mood but whenever someone angers her, even the slightest; they die, just like that." Squall was shuddering as she said those words. "She enjoys killing people, she loves to bathe in the blood of her victims and I mean that literally. The leader literally drains the blood of her victims just to bather in their blood." She was now shivering uncontrollably as her eyes suddenly took an expression of fear. Autumn instantly wrapped her arms around her lover's shaken frame.

"The leader, she is a repulsive human being." Squall muttered to her lover in a fearful tone.

"Don't worry Squall-chan," Squall and Autumn flinched when their leader spoke to them. "The time for me to relinquish my control over Phantom Task is nearing, after all, my heir is about to be awaken." She said gleefully before she started to play a violin, which instantly froze the two harden operatives.

The melody that their leader was playing was bone chilling as it is beautiful.

"She's a mother?" Autumn asked as she wrapped her arms around her body, hearing that melody that their leader was playing with a violin, made her feel like she was being incase in ice while the grim reaper was choking the life out of her. It was not a very pleasant experience as she could feel the life being drain out of her.

"She's a mother of three and if you still want to live to see the next day, then you better not question that fact about her." Squall muttered as sweat poured down her forehead. She always hated hearing the requiems of their leader. The feeling of upcoming doom was suffocating. "She hates her eldest and youngest, their failures for her but she adores the middle child, her son." Autumn had enough left in her to give Squall a look of utter disbelief.

In society today, having a daughter is the highest honor a family could have. The idea of the leader of an organization like Phantom Task favoring a son over two daughters is mind boggling.

Squall, knowing that, elaborated. "The leader had three lovers. The first one, she married because of an arrange marriage, that guy lasted for three years. The leader had a daughter with him."

"The leader's third lover was a onetime deal, a one night stand if you will. The guy died a terrible death after M was born."

"Wait a minute," Autumn spoke suddenly. "That brat is the leader's daughter?"

"Yes," Squall answered bluntly. "But down be mistaken, M lives for as long as the leader allows her to. The leader holds no love towards M and is just waiting for the right moment to kill her." Squall muttered, feeling pity towards M. The death that their leader has in stored for her is a death she will not wish on her worst enemy or a dog for that matter.

"I can now see where M gets her charms from." Autumn muttered, having a new found respect to the youngest member of their squad. "So, who is the leader's second lover?"

"Sorry, for my sake, I can't tell you." Squall whispered as the melody became even more sinister. "If I speak about that man, then I am as good as dead."

Several sits in front of them, their leader was playing the violin, a picture frame in front of her. The picture contains her in her mid twenties with the man that made her feel human, the only man that she ever genuinely cares for. They were both holding a baby and they look happy.

'_My baby, mommy's coming for a visit.'_

_**(Scene Change)**_

Our five heroines, Houki, Cecilia, Rin, Charlotte, and Laura, were doing one of the things that became their hobby during their almost-one year stay in I.S Academy.

That thing was eavesdropping on Ichika's room.

Now, in the past year, they had respectfully, really respectfully, use Ichika's door as a means to eavesdrop on whatever Ichika was doing in his room. The felt content to just hear his voice through the thick door, that alone made them happy.

But today, today is very different from those days.

Today, they could hear not just Ichika's voice but also a voice of a girl. And that girl is moaning in pleasure.

"Ichika, this feels so good." The girl moaned loudly in delight and Rin wished she had her I.S with her so she could kick the door open and beat that hentai baka within an inch of his life.

"It's the least I can do after the help that you gave me today….. You're a bit stiff but I can remedy."

"Yes yes, that's OHHHHH...there, again, AGAIN?" The mystery girl's moans of ecstasy were enough to send Cecilia to a jealous frenzy.

"You should keep your voice down."

"Not possible…OH YES, THAT'S THE SPOT, DEEPER, OH MY, HARDER…" Char cannot help but clasped her mouth shut as million scenarios run through her mind, although, she was in the receiving end rather than that girl in Ichika's room.

***Sigh*** "I guess there is no helping it, so which part do you want me to touch." Laura cannot help but clench her hands tightly to a fist. How dare her failure for a wife touch another woman?

"Go lower…" Houki's face suddenly took a shade of red. "Lower, lower, RIGHT THERE…" Houki's reaction was less controlled compared to her other friends. She stood up from where she was crouching and kicked the door open.

She was ready to burst into the room and give Ichika a piece of her mind, if it weren't for a book suddenly hitting her across the head.

"Have you ever heard of knocking?" Kanzashi asked with a deep scowl on her face yet the blush on her face was very noticeable among the new comers. _'Great, Ichika-kun's private fan club, damn it, I was enjoying his hands all over me.' _Kanzashi's blush darkened as she remembered the last thirty minutes of heaven that his friends ruin for her.

With a sigh, Kanzashi stood up from Ichika's _bed_, and stood in front of Ichika, fixing her blouse and skirt to make herself presentable in front of her rivals. "Thank you for the wonderful afternoon, Ichika-kun, I really enjoyed the lunch that you made for me."

***Crackle * *Boom***

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense as the sound of thunder striking echoed in the room.

"It's the least I could do after all the help that you gave me." Ichika, being the blockhead among blockheads, was oblivious to the impending doom that was brewing.

"Nonsense, Ichika-kun, I also benefited from our afternoon together." Kanzashi said with a small blush as bliss spread through her body. The person that she adores spent the whole afternoon with her, alone.

She disregarded the fact that they spend most of it tuning his I.S. She also tried to push the memories of her copying some of Byakushiki's operational data for her own uses, although it was with Ichika's permission.

"So, same time tomorrow."

"Yes, absolutely," Kanzashi answered gleefully, a beautiful smile on her face, magnifying her innocent beauty.

Ichika cannot help but marvel at how pretty Kanzashi is with a smile, so much so, that he cannot help but tap her cheeks affectionately. "You should smile more often, you look prettier that way." Ichika commented absentmindedly,

Kanzashi entire face was as red as her eyes as she grabbed Ichika's hand and gave it a kiss before exiting his room, a joyful blush plastered on her face.

That smile will be there for the rest of the day.

Ichika, on the other hand, well…

"ICHIKA, YOU WEAK BASTARD!"

"YOU CHEATING BASTARD…"

"SHAMELESS MAN…"

"ICHIKA NO HENTAI…"

"YOU FAILURE FOR A WIFE…"

After five minutes of kicking, punching, slapping, insulting, more punching, more kicking, more slapping, more insulting, and a German Suplex courtesy of Laura, the girls have finally calm down enough for Ichika to explain why he spent his whole afternoon with Kanzashi.

_**(Scene Change) (Ichika POV)**_

"So that person is that woman's sister." Laura asked curiously. It seems that she still dislike Tatenashi-san.

"Yup," I answered as I tend to my bruises. Those girls were brutal. I don't know why they suddenly ganged up on me but man; they can sure give a beating. Luckily for me, I'm use to this kind of pain.

"She was also your partner during the tag-team tournament, right?" Houki asked and I nodded to answer her question.

"Okay, I understand that you and her got to know each other real well during that whole fiasco but why didn't you ask me for help in tuning up your I.S?" Rin asked, well demanded really, while throwing daggers at me. "I would have helped you."

I opened my mouth to answer but I was cut off by Laura.

"You should have asked me, you're my bride and thus, I have a responsibility to tend to you at your hour of need." Okay, there is so many things wrong in that sentence I don't even know where to begin.

"No, Ichika-san, you should have asked me, I, the perfect, Cecilia Alcott, is excellent in everything relating to I.S."

Before Houki and Char could speak, I stood up and grabbed the laptop in my bed.

"Kanzashi and I were able to improve Byakushiki's Operating System and other related programs and systems by this much." I told them as I showed them the results that the two of us came up with this afternoon.

It only took my friends a minute to go through the data and I cannot help but smirk as they gawked at the results. "For the record, Kanzashi did most of the work." I told them before closing the laptop, no need for me to show them everything. "Guys, I know you guys would have helped me with Byakushiki's tuning but, my time with Kanzashi tells me that she's the best person to go to if I ever have problems with Byakushiki's operating system."

"I'm not insulting your skills, guys. I would have flunked if you guys hadn't helped me out throughout the school year, but, you guys are good at combat, Kanzashi is good at I.S modification." I quickly explained, not wanting to upset my friends anymore. I'm tough not suicidal.

After a minute, Char spoke. "Ichika, why did you suddenly want Byakushiki to be modified?" Char asked and I answered that question the same way I answered Kanzashi.

"All of us have been involved in some pretty crazy stuff this school year." I commented and it took my friends but a moment to understand where I'm getting at. "Seeing our luck, I kinda wanted to prepare for the next crazy thing to happen to us." In my case, I have three days.

The look of realization dawn to them and they suddenly nodded. "So, you're preparing for the next incident, huh, I'm impressed." Houki muttered with a small nod of approval.

"As expected from my bride."

"But that doesn't excuse you from not telling us." Rin muttered, not letting that topic go.

"Rin-san has a point, we could have helped you." Cecilia added with a small, yet cute frown.

"And you cook lunch for her; you never cooked lunch for any of us." Char exclaimed and my friends instantly glared at me.

I sighed at this as I opened the laptop again and showed them the video that I have been watching repeatedly after that, I showed them the simulation that Kanzashi made me. "She tried to kill me once; there is no harm in preparing for the next time she comes after me."

In three days time.

"Ichika-san, if you wanted to have someone who fights like that, you should have approach me. Our units are pretty much identical."

"Yeah, but you got your ass kick by that girl, quite badly too." Rin commented snidely with a snicker.

Cecilia glared at Rin after she reminded her of the beating she received at the hands of Madoka. "You're the one to talk, you didn't even touch her." Cecilia reminded her, defending herself. "Unlike you, I at least landed a decisive hit."

"Baka," Rin retorted angrily. "I would have beaten her if she didn't run off."

"I doubt that. If I cannot beat her, how can a second rate pilot like you ever dream of scratching her." Cecilia fired back.

The two of them traded more insults while Laura, Char, and Houki discuss the simulation of the Silent Zephyrs with me, with Laura and Char offering some comments about the simulation.

I listened to their advice, knowing that I will need all the help I need to last even a minute against a pilot like Madoka.

_**(Scene Change) (Ichika POV)**_

"Morning, Kanzashi," I greeted as I entered the prep room, a box of bento in hand.

Kanzashi temporarily looked away from her multiple terminals and gave me a smile. "Good morning, Ichika-kun." She greeted before frowning. "Did your friends do that to you?" Ah~ she must have noticed the bandages all over my arms and face.

I waved her concern off with a sheepish smile. "There just upset that I didn't go to them with Byakushiki's tuning but don't worry, I already told them why I choose to ask you for help." Actually, I showed them why you're the best person for the job.

"I see," Kanzashi mumbled under her breath. "They didn't take it well, it seems."

I laughed weakly before putting the bento in front of her. "Here, your lunch, I made you Katsudon, Tempura, and Casella, I hope you like it." I told her before deploying Byakushiki.

"You shouldn't have…"

"Nonsense, Kanzashi, it's the least I can do for you. " I told her before attaching several cables to Byakushiki so we could start the optimization. "And I really don't want to eat my own cooking." I added in a joking manner. I'm an adequate cook but I don't like tasting the food that I made.

"I see," Kanzashi whispered before giving me a thankful look.

I nodded back at her before a holographic terminal appeared before me. "So, what are we going to do today?"

"I figured we should make sure that no deadlocks will happen with the systems during the program's run time and operational time." Kanzashi told me, her face taking a serious shade.

I could only look at Kanzashi with a bewildered face, making her elaborate. "A set of processes is deadlocked if each process in the set is waiting for an event that only another process in the set can cause. In laments term, imagine if two cars are headed in certain direction but there is only one way and they are force to intersect." Kanzashi explained and I understand it clearly.

It's similar to a collision, somewhat.

"So, how do you propose to prevent this?" I asked curiously.

"Banker's Algorithm," She answered and I will not ask any more questions. I never knew that banks have their own algorithms.

We were about to start working when the door of the prep room opened. My friends burst into the room and I could feel this strange temperature filling the room.

"Hey guys," I greeted uneasily. "What are you five doing here?"

"We came to help." Char said and before I could speak, Kanzashi beat me to it.

"That isn't necessary; I am more than enough to help Ichika-kun with the tuning of his I.S." Kanzashi said with a sharp tone as she stood up. "Any help from foreign cadets is not needed."

The temperature in the room suddenly dropped several degrees.

"And why is that, Sarashiki-san?" Cecilia asked with a challenging tone.

"Because, even though Ichika-kun is not a representative cadet, Byakushiki is the property of the Japanese Government and Military, that means that tuning, maintenance, customizing, repairs, and the like of Byakushiki can only be done by a certified Japanese I.S Engineer." Okay, I did not know that. "And you four Representative Cadets, by just being in the same room while an I.S that belongs to our country is being customized, is enough to send all of you to jail." Okay, I also did not know that.

I should really start paying more attention to my classes.

The startled look from my friends made Kanzashi sigh. "You four didn't know that?" It was more of a statement than a question. "Great, four more representative cadets not knowing that most basic of laws in the Alaska Treaty."

"HEY!" The four of them shouted in unison.

"I know you four mean well but, according to the Alaska Treaty, you guys seeing Byakushiki's data is considered illegal and the repercussions is so severe that your titles maybe be revoke." Kanzashi commented before pointing at Houki. "You, being a Japanese Citizen can help us; you can start by buying me and Ichika-kun some beverages."

Who would have thought that Kanzashi has a sense of humor?

"One more thing, you five had him for most of the school year, let me have him for a couple of days." Kanzashi said before sitting down. "After all, technically speaking, he is still single."

Suddenly, I felt like hiding under a rock.

_**(Scene Change) (Three days later)**_

"I half expected you to not come." Madoka greeted me as I arrive in the island that we agreed to meet. I was in Byakushiki and she was already in her I.S, Silent Zephyrs. The two of us were hovering 300 meters from the ground.

Three days came and went to fast for my taste but I had already made all the preparation I could for this fight, what I need to do now is fight like my life is depending on it.

And it was.

"I am giving you this one chance, leave now, run for your life, and you will live for a few more months." She offered before deploying the high-energy rifle of her I.S.

"I'm not running, not until I know the truth." I answered, deploying Yukihira Nigata.

The visor that she was wearing was hiding her eyes yet I still could feel her eyes on me. The eyes of the predator ready to strike down her prey.

"You have no chance of beating me; the gap between us is too much, too wide for you to even offer me a decent fight." She told me before raising her rifle. The barrel of the weapon was pointed at me and I quickly raise Yukihira up for defense.

"I don't care." I told her fiercely.

"I see," Madoka mumbled before smiling gleefully at my direction. "Any last words?"

"Just one, our parents, what kind of people are they?" That is the question that has been bugging me ever since I found out that our parents abandoned me and Chifuyu-nee.

"I don't know." I was taken aback by the bitterness in Madoka's voice. "The three of us, nee-san, _you,_ and me, we have different fathers but we have the same mother." That was a surprise.

"My father died right after I was born so I don't know anything about him, our mother, she barely acknowledges that I exist." She sneered at me at that. "And that's entirely your FAULT. I stayed with her, through all the pain, all my suffering, and yet…" I could feel Madoka tearing up behind her visor, her broken voice was enough, and I was half tempted to comfort her but the tension between us is too heavy for me to move.

"And yet, she doesn't love me, she doesn't even call me daughter. Do you know what my name is to her, huh? She just calls me failure, FAILURE." Madoka shouted at me. "FOR THE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS OF MY LIFE, MY OWN MOTHER CALLS ME FAILURE, NOT MADOKA, NOT M, BUT FAILURE, I'M ALWAYS A FAILURE TO HER. AND YOU, YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT." I flinch as Madoka sneered at me.

"She adores you; she spends her time looking at your baby pictures, singing the lullabies that she should have been singing to me to your baby pictures." I could see tears falling from her visor and it was hearth wrenching for me to see her like this. "And you know what, it hurts knowing that she loves a boy that she barely held in her arms than the daughter that stuck with her through thick and thin."

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW PAINFUL IT IS FOR ME TO SEE HOW PROUD SHE IS OF YOU WHEN YOUR FREAKISH ABILITY TO PILOT AN I.S WAS BROADCAST ALL OVER THE WORLD, DO YOU?" Madoka shouted at me, the rifle of her I.S was shaking with unconcealed anger. "I SPEND MOST OF MY LIFE JUST FOR HER TO LOOK AT ME WITH THAT KIND OF ADORATION, YET YOU, YOU…" Madoka let out a scream as she fired a crimson beam at me.

I used Yukihira to deflect the beam before dodging the barrage of beams that she shot at me. "If I kill you, mother will love; she will have no choice but to love me." Madoka snarled as she fired continuous energy shots at me.

I gritted my teeth as I change Yukihira from its metal blade to its energy blade. I sliced through several beams that she fired at me before I was hit on the leg. I gritted my teeth in pain as I used Setsura's to shield myself from Madoka's barrage. Setsura instantly erected an energy shield that blocked the multiple beams that Madoka shot at me.

_**Left leg armor hit. Damage: 40. Shield Energy remaining: 513. Actual damage: Medium.**_

"I can't take any more hits like that." I muttered to myself as I avoided as much shots as possible while using Setsura's shield to block the attacks that I could not evade. I wanted to minimize using Setsura, seeing that it cost more energy than Yukihira.

A shot, and another, and another, shots after shots. The attacks continued to rain down on me, and they were all shot with such precision, that I was having trouble dodging them all. The power behind those energy beams were no joke either, Setsura maybe helping me block those attacks that I am not able to avoid but the force behind those beam shots were so strong that I could feel my left arm numbing.

"TRY THIS ON FOR SIZE, BIG BROTHER!" Madoka spat those words out before deploying Silent Zephyrs' offensive bits.

I watched in amazement as the bits were launch from her I.S and zigzagged towards me. The bits were faster compare to Cecelia's Blue Tears and Madoka has better control over them. Those bits, for lack of better words, move in a dance like pattern, making it difficult for me to know where they will attack.

Fortunately, I prepared for this. I weaved through the barrage of attacks from Madoka's rifle before using Setsura to block the beams fired at me by one of the bits while using Yukihira to deflect the following attacks.

I finally formed a plan in dealing with those bits, thanks to Kanzashi's simulation, regardless of how limited it is. With Madoka's skills and the power output of each bits as well as their maneuverability, it is a near impossibility for me to dodge them all, but it is not impossible for me to either block or deflect those shots. After studying the simulation over and over again, I've noticed that Madoka, when using her Silent Zephyrs' offensive bits, always aims at the upper body, never at the lower body. I didn't know why, but it was a small blessing for me. I decided focus on defending my upper body when those bits are deployed.

Still, it's very disorienting following the movements of those bits. Those four bits, they were zigzagging, spinning, corkscrewing, gliding, crisscrossing, literally dancing around me, even when those bits were firing beams at me, they don't stop moving. Watching those bits, felt like watching a ballet…of death. Also, Madoka was moving in the same speed as those bits. She was constantly moving and firing, matching my Byakushiki's movements, she was doing this while manipulating those four bits with such mastery that it was awe inspiring. What's worse, she and those bits were attacking me simultaneously, bombarding me with beam attacks in every direction and some of the beams that were fired at me were bending, changing their trajectory in mid flight.

***BANG***

***BANG***

***BANG***

***BANG***

***BANG***

***BANG***

***CLANG***

***SWOSH***

***CLANG***

***BANG***

Madoka is attacking me in five different vantage points, in five constantly changing positions. I was barely defending myself and I was hit numerous times in the body and in the leg. I already lost 35% of my energy shield but I did not care about that, I was waiting for my opportunity to strike and it was getting close.

'_Five,'_ I dodge to the right and barely avoided the beam that was shot from that high powered rifle.

'_Four,'_ I dive down to avoid two bits firing at me in the sidelines.

'_Three,' _I deflected a beam fired at me by one of those drones from behind.

'_Two,' _I raised Setsura in order to block another shot, this time from above.

'_One,'_ I gritted my teeth as a beam hit me from behind.

'_Zero,' _Satisfaction hit me as those four bits returned to her back for recharging.

"Thirty minutes, thanks Madoka, you forgot to cycle them." I muttered before using Ignition Boost to close in to Madoka.

"Foolish, brother," I could hear her say as she deployed her defensive bits. Umbrella shape beam surface in each beam as they surround Madoka protectively.

I planned for this. Madoka is immobile for at least six seconds, if I could take out at least some of Silent Zephyrs' defensive bits before the next barrage, then I could at least hit her once and that is enough for me to get the win.

"Reiraku Byakuya," I whispered, activating the one-off ability of Byakushiki. Instead of Byakushiki's entire body glowing, Yukihira's bright blue energy blade suddenly took a golden shade. It took Kanzashi and me a while but we were finally able to manipulate the energy of Reiraku Byakuya to only affect certain parts or weapons of my choosing.

***SWOOSH* **

I cut down the two defensive bits with Yukihira before extending my left hand towards Madoka, Setsura already in its energy claw form.

I didn't know how but Madoka quickly deployed her CQC weapon, the combat knife, to block Setsura's energy claw but the power behind the energy claw as well as the force behind my thrust was so strong that the combat knife quickly shattered.

It still gave Madoka enough time to redeploy Silent Zephyrs' offensive bits. I cursed my luck as I tried to back away from her…

***SMASH***

…but I was prevented from furthering the distance between us when one of her defensive bits hit me from behind.

It felt like a cannon ball hit me.

I shouted in pain as those four bits started firing at me, with Madoka aiming her rifle at my head.

'_No choice,' _I thought to myself as I position Setsura on the side of my hip, the particle cannon already aimed at the defensive bit that was preventing me to move. I fired and the explosion was enough to propel downwards. My I.S suffered minimum damage but I at least avoided Madoka's bombardment. That and her defensive bits are now cut in half.

I extended Setsura, and a makeshift energy blade suddenly sprouted from my wrist. Using dual sword is very difficult but with this, I could alternate defense and offense.

I flew towards her once again, dodging and deflecting the barrage of beams that came from all directions. Madoka, being a long range fighter, have no choice but to carefully fly away to keep the distance between us to her favor.

'_Can't have that?_' I thought to myself before using Double Ignition Boost. I accelerated towards Madoka with tremendous speed and with unparallel propulsion and I know that even Madoka's Silent Zephyrs cannot dodge my charge.

***POW***

I suddenly stop moving as blinding pain spread throughout my body. I spat out a mouthful of saliva as I felt something hard hitting me on the stomach. I glanced down and my eyes widen when I saw one of her defensive bits hitting me on the stomach while it was surrounded by the energy shield.

Before I could move, the three defensive bits, one of them I thought I destroyed with Setsura's particle cannon, hit me from my sides and on my back, each of those have the impact comparable to that of a high-speed cannonball. The energy shield that they were emitting prevented me from moving or from hacking those bits away.

In other words, I'm trap.

Madoka smiled at me as the offensive bits of Silent Zephyrs dance around me while she aimed her rifle at me.

"Goodbye, big brother."

***BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* **

***BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM***

Madoka proceeded to bombard me with endless shots from her high energy rifle and bits. With the bits changing positions after every shot, before firing another beam at me, and Madoka dissecting me with her rifle, shooting me in every part of my body.

Blinding pain course through my body as the beams bombarded me from every direction. The pain that I am currently feelings is more than the pain I felt during my first confrontation with the Silver Gospel. My shields were down to a hundred plus even before Madoka got me to this position so my energy shields weren't even able to negate the continuously volley of beams. I could hear my bones crack and I could smell my skin burn, and I knew that Byakushiki's armor is almost reduced to burn metal.

I knew that I was about to die…But I can't die, not yet, not until I fulfill my new objective.

My original objective was to get answers from Madoka…

But now, I want to know my little sister…

As that realization dawn to me, something within me was suddenly release.

_**(Scene Change) (Normal POV)**_

After thirty minutes of nonstop attacking, Madoka abruptly stop as her bits, both offensive and defensive return to her I.S for recharging. She cannot help but smile at the damage that she caused to her big brother. The armor of his I.S is covered with severe burn marks courtesy of the never ending rain of beams from her rifle and bits. Also, some parts of the armor were missing, destroyed by the relentless rain of attacks from Madoka.

But what made Madoka smile was the sight of her brother's body. His entire body was bleeding from head to toe; his blood was dripping from his body to what remains of his I.S to the ground. The remaining armor of his I.S that was able to remain attach to his body was covered by his own blood.

"Finally, I CAN FINALLY BE ME." Madoka shouted as she fired her rifle at Ichika's head, intending to blow his whole head off.

Madoka waited for the attack to hit, knowing that her brother's I.S no longer possess any sort of protection.

***CLANG* **

Madoka's eyes widen when she felt something hot graze her check, surprise that her brother was able to return the shot by deflecting the beam via Yukihira.

With the use of Hyper Sensor, Madoka focuses her eyes on Ichika's blood covered face and she almost had a heart attack when she saw the color of his eyes.

The once brown eyes that were filled with warmth and compassion…Turned into cold, lilac colored eyes…

The same color as their mother.

"No," Madoka muttered in dread. "Why, HOW COULD SOMEONE LIKE YOU HAVE MOTHER'S EYES?" Madoka shouted as she fired another shot at Ichika.

Ichika dodge the beam by merely tilting his head, further enraging Madoka.

Madoka deployed her offensive and defensive bits and proceeded to bombard Ichika with an attack from all directions like what she did earlier.

***BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG***

To her surprise and anger, Ichika dodge her attacks, the very same attacks that he had problems avoiding earlier, with ease. Ichika merely tiled his limbs or weave through those attacks, without moving from where he was hovering. This is more impressive because of the fact that Byakushiki is severely damage beyond operational.

Madoka stop attacking when her bits were force to return for their recharge. She was to angry to keep firing her rifle because, regardless of how fast or how difficult the angle she ended her attacks were, they were all dodge like they were nothing, further frustrating her.

Ichika on the other hand stopped moving as he placed Yukihira over Setsura. Surprisingly, both Yukihira and Setsura were unscathed from the barrage that reduced Ichika and Byakushiki to a bloody mess and to a damage wreck, respectively.

"Valkyrie Trace System, Activate." Madoka's eyes widen when she hear those words whispered by Ichika. Byakushiki let out a strong electrical jolt. The lines that formed the armor were melting softly into something soft and sticky, but instead of the pitch black colored blob, the soft and sticky substance was color white with silver stripes and it was more of calm flowing water than a blob.

The pure white substance swallowed Ichika in whole.

Madoka could only watch in grim fascination as the white substance covered her opponent and was shock when the white substance resided, showing Byakushiki, a fully repaired Byakushiki. The armor that she destroyed regenerated in a flash and the wound on Ichika's body simply disappeared.

Although what came next, shock her even more.

She watched as Ichika sheathed Yukihira on Setsura, like a swordsman sheathing his sword to its scabbard. As Yukihira was fully sheathe, Ichika sbegan muttering incoherent words. "Optimization, complete….Weapons combination, initialize…. System Progress, 100%... Weapons Booting, Complete… Operational Data, calculated… Process Complete…"

"…_**Shirayuki Setsura…"**_

_**(Scene Change) (Normal POV)**_

Squall and Autmun cannot help but stare in shock at the conclusion of the fight…

Madoka lost…She lost magnificently after that….They could not find the right words to describe that change that happened to Madoka's opponent. The boy that only has above average skill in I.S Combat dismantled Madoka, a person with deadly combat skill in I.S Combat, with ease

Autumn was about to enter the battlefield when the laughter of their leader froze her from where she stood.

"Yes, yes, yes, YES, YES," Their leader shouted repeatedly between her laughs. "He has it, my son has it…" Tears of joy fell down her eyes as she jumped in joy, gleeful of what she discovered in the past two hours of fighting.

"Milady?" Autumn muttered, bewildered at how their leader was acting. Squall on the other hand, grab Autumn on the shoulder and dragged her away from their leader, in fear that she would start firing because of her joy…

The Leader of Phantom Task looked up above the heaven; the piece of cloth that was covering her face slowly fell to the ground, revealing her beautiful face to the world. "My twin brother, did you see what our son did? He has it, he certainly has it…The Seed Syndrome, he possessed it…He is truly our son…" A smile that looks eerily similar to her youngest patented smirk graced her features.

"Our son, he is beautiful…"

"Our son, he is angelic…"

"Our son is finally awake…"

"Our son, he is the next emperor…"

She closed her eyes as she relishes the light of the moonlight the shine upon her. "I cannot wait to hold my son again, after fourteen years…"

* * *

><p><em><strong>CHAPTER 2, FINISH….<strong>_

_**Pardon if the fight scene sucks…I'm not good in writing fight scenes**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**FAMILY**_

_**CHAPTER THREE: SHIRAYUKI SETSURA, THE COUSIN, AND THE MOTHER**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own IS: Infinite Stratos but I own this fiction and any other OC's in this story **_

_ITALIC: THOUGHTS_

**BOLD: MOVEMENTS**

[Calling]: Communication through communication link or phone.

* * *

><p>Madoka stared at her brother and his I.S with caution as Ichika lifelessly glanced at Shirayuki Setsura. Setsura, the left hand made out of pure fold-out armor disappeared and was replaced by a color white, crystallized left arm with silver veins coursing through it.<p>

Ichika, with his cold lilac eyes glanced at his new weapon like he was fixated by it before closing his hand into a fist.

"Madoka-chan," Ichika called emotionlessly. His voice was quiet, barely above a whisper, and the only reason Madoka heard him was because of Silent Zephyrs' Hyper Sensor. "Forgive me, I can't hold back." He told her with an apologetic tone before rocketing towards her, the thrusters of Byakushiki bursting into life, giving Ichika unparallel acceleration and propulsion.

Madoka snapped herself out of her shock and started unloading her attacks, the tip of the barrel of her rifle glowed bright crimson as she fired consecutive shots at Ichika. According to Silent Zephyrs, Byakushiki's shields is down to zero, which means that one hit on the head would kill him.

Ichika, regardless if he was flying at a speed that broke the sound barrier, elegantly dodge all the attacks Madoka was firing at him. Ichika spun while weaving through Madoka's attacks; this is impressive considering that Double Ignition Boost can only accelerate an I.S in a linear direction and maneuvering while using Double Ignition Boost is considered impossible.

Madoka was about to deploy her offensive bits when Ichika, with one powerful burst of Byakushiki's thruster, close the distance and hovered in front of her. She was about to fire her rifle when Ichika's right hand suddenly bolted and grabbed her by the throat, stunning her. Ichika then raise Shirayuki Setsura, the crystallize arm, and shoved it on Madoka's chest, just above her breasts. Her eyes widen as two things happened.

One, the attack did not hurt nor did it reduced her shield energy. The crystallized arm merely glowed together with her I.S as strips of silver light spiraled around them.

Two, Ichika was kissing her, KISSING HER. The feeling that she felt in that single second dwarf every feeling she had ever felt in her entire life. His lips ignited a fire so bright, so hot in her chest that she had forgotten about everything and everyone in the world.

Her toes curled and her hands closed into a fist, she even let go of the rifle of her I.S. She was unmoving from where she floated as her brother, whether she would admit it or not, made her feel special for the first time in her life.

The kiss, in reality lasted for only five seconds but for Madoka, it lasted for eternity. When he pulled back, her cheeks were as red as a rose. She was so stunned that she did not even attack as her brother slowly backed away from her, she didn't even react when his right arm gently and lovingly caress her cheeks.

If Madoka wasn't too stun, she would have notice that silvery-white diamond in Ichika's left arm before it shattered, causing Byakushiki's left arm to glow.

"That was my first kiss." Madoka whispered as she used her hands, clad in armor, to trace her lips, the stingy sensation that was caused by the kiss made her heart beat wildly. She relishes the aftertaste of the kiss as she closed her eyes to compose herself.

"YOU PERVERT!" Madoka roared as she redeployed her rifle and deployed the offensive as well as the defensive bits of her I.S. She did not want to risk her brother getting near her for her fear that if he kissed her again, their clothes and their I.S will be scattered on the ground and she may do things to her brother that would make porn stars blush.

As the offensive bits of Silent Zephyrs surrounded Ichika, Madoka could not help but looked annoyed when her brother did not react at the upcoming danger and merely looked at the weapon that covered his left arm with intrigued eyes.

Madoka took aimed and started firing in all direction. Ichika on the other hand merely swung his left arm. _**"Madoka!" **_He suddenly shouted. His left arm glowed bright white as streaks of silver light surrounded his entire body and I.S. When the silver light died down, ten metal swords, ten katanas appeared around him. The swords were white with silver highlights, similar to his left hand. The swords were as large as Yukihira in its energy sword mode. The hand guard of the swords has flower-like edges.

The sword spun rapidly around him, projecting a spinning energy dome that deflected all the attacks that Madoka fired, much to her shock. She stopped her attacks and recalled the bits of Silent Zephyrs, knowing that it's pointless to attack until the shield disappears.

When the bits returned to Madoka, the swords that protected Ichika stop spinning. The swords surrounded Ichika protectively, each sword glowing faintly. Ichika raised both of his arms and two swords flew towards his hands, which he grasped before going into a stance, a stance that he did not learn from kendo or from his sister.

"Setsura, Wing Thrusters, off, Transfer energy to torso." Ichika commanded calmly. The four wing thrusters of Byakushiki folded on its back but before Ichika could plummet to the ground, one of the ten swords flew towards his feet, the sword glowed bright silver as it created a platform for Ichika to stand on. Ichika stood on the narrow platform elegantly, the swords in his hands in an x-position.

Madoka didn't notice a trail of sweat falling down her forehead. Things could not get any worse for her. She could kill her opponent with one direct hit but the problem is, hitting someone under the influence of the Seed Syndrome is easier said than done, it's almost impossible.

Seed Syndrome, a special genetic trait exclusive to the Orimura family, is a trait which causes the body of those carrying it to activate 30 times more neural transmitters than the average person, which makes the function of his central nervous system, namely the cerebrum, cerebellum, and spinal cord, accelerate dramatically. A person who bares the Seed Syndrome enters into a state of enhanced awareness and peak physical ability. While in this state, the person demonstrates heightened reflexes and extremely quick information processing. In this state, everything from a person's mental capabilities to the person physical capabilities exponentially rises, by at least a hundred folds.

And this poses a problem for her. She will begrudgingly admit that, although her brother's skills as a pilot are barely above average, his fighting skills are very high. Under the influence of the Seed Syndrome, his above average piloting skills will rise exponentially as well as his fighting skills.

'_If my assumption is correct, he may be as good as Kana.' _And that was a scary thought for Madoka, so much so that she decided to create more distance to try her luck in sniping him in a distance.

The moment she backed down, Ichika made his move. The seven swords that were hovering around Ichika move in a speed that far surpasses Byakushiki's Double Ignition Boost. Each sword has a thruster build in them located in the hilt and build into the back side of the blade, making them faster than Silent Zephyrs' bits.

Ichika leaped to the nearest sword, the sword instantly creating a platform when Byakushiki's feet touch the surface of the sword. Ichika only stayed there for a second before leaping to the sword nearest to the sword that he was standing on.

Madoka was dumbfounded by Ichika's movement as she tried to get a clear shot on his brother vital body parts, head or chest, but to no avail. Ichika is moving in such a way that she could not aim her rifle or her bits properly. Ichika is leaping from sword to sword, from platform to platform in a speed that made her head spin. It seems by shutting down the thrusters and pushing the energy on his I.S's lower body, Byakushiki's leaping abilities increase. Most of the swords that Ichika summoned were not use as weapons but as platforms that act as stepping stones. Ichika was constantly changing his positions making it hard to get a hit on him.

Madoka groaned in frustration as she let lose a beam towards Ichika, which he dodge by jumping to the next sword, to the next platform. Madoka use one of her bits to fire a beam to the back of Ichika's head only for the attack to be deflected when one of the swords flew and intercepted the attack, the sword projecting a hexagonal, color silver beam shield that deflected the attack.

Ichika jumped to the sword to his right to avoid another attack that Madoka fired at him before swinging the sword on his left hand to deflect a beam that was fired by the bit on his right. Ichika then leaned forward before throwing the sword on his right towards Madoka, the thruster on the said sword bursting into life, causing it to accelerate towards Madoka.

"Fast," Madoka whispered as she brought one of her defensive bits to block the sword. The sword bounced harmlessly off the umbrella shape energy shield but Madoka's eyes widen when Ichika appeared in front of him, the sword on his left hand glowing with a golden aura. With a swift swing, one of her defensive bits was cut in half before exploding between them.

The aftershock of the explosion was not enough to push them back but it was enough to blind the two of them temporarily. Madoka used this to her advantage and flew backwards, creating some distance between her and Ichika but a sword suddenly flew towards her, aimed to her skull. Her eyes widen as the sword move closer to impale her on the head only to stop when it was merely two inches from her and it only stop because Ichika used the sword to help him flip over her.

Madoka turned around only to see Ichika extending his right hand. A sword flew towards his hand and when it landed, he swung it horizontally. Madoka tried to lean back to avoid the blow but the sword on her back graze the armor on her left shoulder, stopping her for just a second, enough time for Ichika to slice off the visor that was covering her face.

Madoka panicked as she tried to create some distance, wildly firing her rifle and her four offensive bits at Ichika to preoccupy him but it was to no avail as the swords that he was around him revolved rapidly to deflect the attacks that she was throwing at him.

Ichika then kick one of the swords in front of him, which rocketed towards Madoka. The move was not meant as an attack as Ichika used the sword as a makeshift skateboard to weave through some of Madoka's attack. When he was close enough, he kicked the sword again, this time using the sword as a projectile.

Madoka deflected the projectile by the use of a well aim shot from her rifle but, by her attention merely focus on the sword that was in front of her, she did not saw Ichika jumping behind her until she was hit on the shoulder.

_**Right shoulder armor hit. Damage: 30. Shield Energy remaining: 563. Actual damage: Low.**_

Madoka tried to stab Ichika with the use of the bayonet attach on her I.S's rifle but Ichika merely called one of his swords to block the blow and another sword to hover above the rifle. He use the sword that was hovering above the rifle as a stepping stone to get over Madoka and used another sword as a platform to stand upside down above her. Brown eyes meet lilac eyes as Ichika thrust one of his swords on her left shoulder armor before jumping behind her, grabbing the sword that he used as a platform before calling forth another sword. He threw a slash on her back before using the sword that he called to glide away from her.

_**Left shoulder armor hit. Damage: 45. Shield Energy remaining: 533. Actual damage: Medium.**_

_**Lower back armor hit. Damage: 50. Shield Energy remaining: 487. Actual damage: Medium.**_

Madoka groaned at three consecutive attacks before aiming her rifle at Ichika's back. Before she could fire a shot though, a sword that came from above impaled her rifle, effectively destroying it. Madoka instantly threw her rifle to the side to avoid being caught in the small explosion caused by the destruction of her I.S's secondary weapon.

Madoka growled at this as she tried to hit Ichika with the use of her offensive bits but to no avail as the swords move faster than her bits could fire. Before she could attack, the swords were already positioned to neutralize her attack.

"Damn you," Madoka sneered at Ichika as she deployed six offensive bit of her I.S. Like Blue Tears, Silent Zephyrs also featured hip mounted weaponry, the only difference is, Madoka's I.S has a pair of rail cannons instead of missile launchers.

"DAMN YOU!" Madoka shouted as she recalled her bits. She notices that none of her defensive bits came back to her. She glared at Ichika when she saw the defensive bits of Silent Zephyrs being impaled by two swords each, rendering them useless. Madoka growled loudly once again as she deployed her offensive bits and fired a full burst attack. Six beams, two beams of yellow electricity from her hips, and four beams that came from her side flew towards Ichika in an incredible speed.

"Slow," Ichika muttered as he released the sword that he was holding. The ten swords then revolved around him, deflecting all the attacks before they disappeared in a flash of silver light. The wing thrusters of Byakushiki activated again but it was merely temporarily as Ichika used his left arm and put it over his chest. Byakushiki glowed brightly as silver-strips of light surrounded the frame.

Madoka, seeing that, fired a barrage of beam towards Ichika, not wanting to risk another weird weapon appearing.

"Slow," Ichika muttered again as he effortlessly move his body to avoid the attacks. During the attack, another silvery-white diamond appeared in the palm of his hand before shattering.

"_**Shirokishi (White Knight)!" **_

Ichika shouted as the left arm of Byakushiki was once again covered in light, the silver strips of light was slowly forming a shape of a sword. Ichika swung his left arm and the sword took shape. The sword was made out of white crystal with silver highlights, similar to the ten swords that he had summoned earlier and to Shirayuki Setsura. That is the only similarity between the single sword that he summoned now and the ten swords that he summoned earlier.

The sword that is in Ichika's hand looks like an oversized elegant cleaver. The blade has a black hilt with gray-wrappings and a short length of chain at its base. The blade itself is curving inwards at the backside of the tip similar to a trench knife. It should also be noted that the sword is as tall as the I.S itself.

Modoka stared at the massive weapon for a second before sending her offensive bits to surround Ichika. She was assuming that the sword that he was holding was only meant for attacking and not for defending.

She was proven wrong when she unleash her initial attacks. Ichika swung the sword and multiple disks of energy appeared and surrounded him. A disk shattered when a beam makes contact with it but, no matter how much energy Madoka put on her attacks, they were cancelled whenever they hit those glowing disks that surrounded her brother.

She growled again as the thrusters of Byakushiki folded to its side.

"Don't tell me those things could act as stepping stones?" Madoka growled, not wanting to face that kind of fighting style again.

Unfortunately for her, those disks, like what those swords Ichika summoned earlier, could be used as stepping stones, only in a much greater degree. Ichika stepped on one of the disks and it instantly shattered but it gave him propulsion so strong that it tripled Byakushiki's speed. He leaped towards the nearest bit, and with a swing, cleaves the optical drone in half before Madoka could move it.

Madoka's eyes widen, she didn't even see her brother move.

Ichika summoned another disk below his feet and when it shattered, he leaped towards the next bit. Madoka was prepared and move the bit away from Ichika's way but it was useless as he raised his sword above his head. The base of the sword suddenly emitted strips of silver energy which enveloped the entire sword, doubling its size as well as augmenting the sharpness of the sword. With the blades new height, it was easily able to reach the runaway bit and cleave it to dust.

Ichika then turned around and the silver beam that covered his massive weapon suddenly started to spiral around his left arm and the sword itself. The sword absorbed the beam that surrounded it and the sword glowed white as the blade of the sword emitted a massive silver beam, with white highlights, that took the shape of the crescent moon. With a wide swing, Ichika released a highly condensed energy beam at the tip of the blade, magnifying the slash attack and then flies forward. This slash takes the form of a crescent moon and it four times the size of Byakushiki.

Madoka's eyes widen as the attack came flying towards her in a speed that she could not hope to dodge. Her eyes widen when the attack flew just above her head, missing her by an inch. At that moment, she knew that she was not the target of that massive attack, her brother's target was her two remaining offensive bit.

The massive attack obliterated the two bits before hitting the hill behind her. She shivered in dread when she heard an explosion behind her and cannot help but looked at the destruction that the attack left. Her eyes widen in fear when she saw the summit of the hill completely blown off.

Madoka cannot help but feel afraid. That attack would have reduced her shield to zero if it hit her.

Madoka closed her eyes as tears fell from her eyes as she resigned herself to her fate. She turned around to stare at Ichika, the expression of utter defeat all over her face. "Why?" She asked in a teary tone. "Why can't I be you?" Madoka asked desperately as she aimed her hip mounted rail cannons at Ichika. It was pointless but if she's going down, she's going down swinging.

She started firing countless shots, using all the energy Silent Zephyrs with each shot. Ichika, lifelessly gave Madoka a respectful nod before grabbing the chain on the base of the sword. With the use of the small chain, Ichika spun the sword around him. The projected a large energy disc that blocked the attacks that Madoka was firing at him. Each electric beam bounces of the energy disc harmlessly as it glowed brightly.

When Madoka's bombardment of attack seize, Ichika grabbed the sword with his two hands, the disc still shining brightly in front of him. The sword glowed bright white as the visage of a crescent moon appeared on the blade of the sword. Ichika raised his sword and glance at Madoka, his cold lilac eyes finally showing an emotion.

"I love you, Imōto." Ichika mouthed before swinging the gigantic sword at the energy disc. The crescent shape beam that obliterated the summit sailed towards the energy disc and when it hit the beam disc, an amazing thing happened. The disc absorbed the attack causing the beam to shimmer in a silver light before it fired a rain of arrow shaped beams at Madoka. The attack fired a total of 240 arrow shape beams, each headed at Madoka's general direction.

At the sight of the attack, Madoka smiled as she extended her arms to her side, awaiting for the attack to hit her. There was one statement that came out of her mouth.

"Thank you, onii-chan."

Half of the 240 arrow shape beams hit her. She lost consciousness and at the same time, Silent Zephyrs dematerialize.

Ichika caught her before she could plummeted to the earth. And because of that, he did not notice a beam flying towards him until he was hit by it. The beam merely grazed that back of his neck but it was enough to knock him unconscious.

"You have so much to learn." Was the last thing Ichika heard before losing consciousness.

_**(Scene Change)**_

For the first time in fourteen years, the leader of Phantom Task was happy, so happy in fact that she seems to resemble a genuine human being. Human is not a word that is ever associated to her because of her supernatural abilities and her sins that were so gruesome that the devil himself will be disgusted of her.

Still, seeing her cradle her son's head on her breasts made her look like an ordinary mother worried about her son, it made her look human, disgustingly human. Her arms were wrapped tenderly around Ichika's unconscious frame and for once, she did not care if blood was staining her robes, which is strange considering that she would kill anyone who would dirty her clothes.

The leader of Phantom Task had a smile on her face as she hummed a melody like a lullaby. She had wanted to lull her little boy to sleep since her failure had taken him away from her. Her dreams were now being fulfilled as she held her son tightly to her chest.

"Don't worry, my son, nobody will take you away from me ever again." She said to Ichika solemnly as she caresses his hair caringly. "I will be the one to take care of you now. I will take care of you, nourish you, train you to be the strongest, I will find you a good wife that will bare you beautiful children, and then I will give you the world. Don't worry son, just let your mommy handle things, I will repair your broken potential." She whispered to her son's ear as she held him even closer.

This heartwarming scene between her and her son made her happy but that atmosphere suddenly change when there was a knock on her door.

"I don't care if it's important, leave if you value your life." She hissed in irritation.

"Aunt Isane, its Kana."

The leader of Phantom Task now is now known as Isane, smiled brightly as the atmosphere lightened a bit. "What is my favorite niece doing in Japan, you hate Japan?"

"First of all, I am your only niece, you made sure of that, secondly I hate fish and their cuisines, not the country itself." A drawled voiced replied coolly. "I heard you acquired him and that he possesses the gift."

Isane laughed hysterically at this before kissing her son's forehead. "You may enter Kana; I want you to see your cousin and your future boss."

"He has been raise by Chifuyu, right, if so, then I do not want to see him just yet." Kana said with a serious tone. "Knowing who she is, she had probably sabotage him."

"You are correct in your assumption, my dear." Isane said before letting out a chuckle. "Would you help me train him? With you around, he may progress faster and he can succeed me in three years time."

"Just as long as I get what I want, I don't mind sparing him some of my free time." Kana accepted with an impassive tone.

"And what do you want, my dear?" Isane asked, already knowing the answer.

"The hand of the one I love and the head of the woman who had took him away from me." Kana replied casually before letting out a primal growl. "Your daughter raise my husband poorly, I intend to correct her mistake, to mold him to my ideal husband and then, I want to remove that woman's head from her shoulders." Kana muttered to herself but Isane heard her.

"I almost forgot that my failure was not the only one who had fallen in love with him at first sight." Isane whispered, remembering the first time Chifuyu and Kana laid eyes on Ichika.

_**(Flashback)**_

_A nine year old Chifuyu and a nine year old Kana were kneeling in front of a large curtain. The curtain is thin and it only showed a visage of a woman holding a baby in her arms._

"_Chifuyu, Kana, do you know why I called you two here?" Isane said with an intimidating tone._

"_It is not my fault that __**cousin**__ cannot hold her ground against me." Kana muttered as she sneered at Chifuyu._

_Chifuyu glared at her venomously. "You were the one who was rushed in the infirmary, not me. By the way, how's your arm, I hope the doctors attached it properly." The two stood their ground as they draw their weapons. Chifuyu drew her katana while Kana readied her scythe._

"_Aunt Isane, you'll need a new daughter."_

"_And you'll need a new head." _

_The two snarled at each other and they were ready to kill each other but they were stopped when their respective weapons flew off their hands._

"_Do not fight in front of my son." Isane hissed, her killing intent radiating in the room. Chifuyu was not fazed by her mother's killing intent and merely ripped the curtain that separated them from her. When the curtain fell, Chifuyu's eyes narrowed at the sight of the cute baby in her mother's arms. Her mother was holding the baby tenderly which is very much unlike her._

_This is the first time she had ever seen her mother look like a human being._

"_Chifuyu," Isane said coldly. "This is your brother, Ichika, I expect you to treat him accordingly." Chifuyu did not bother to look at her mother as her gazed was fixed on the baby that she was holding. The baby was sleeping peacefully in her mother's arms and that disturbed Chifuyu greatly. Most of the members of Phantom Task can't even breath properly when they are in her mother's presence, not even a vicious animal would go near her, but here lays a baby in her arms, sleeping peacefully, not aware that a monster in human flesh was holding him._

_Out of curiosity, Chifuyu tried to touch her brother's head but was stopped when the baby suddenly opened his eyes. Chifuyu was taken aback by the babies eyes, his right eye was brown similar to hers and his left eye is lilac, similar to their mother's when she is in Seed Mode. The only difference is that the baby's eyes radiate innocence and pureness, something that she and her mother do not possess. The baby looked at her curiously for a second before letting out a soft giggle, his little and soft hands suddenly moved and grabbed Chifuyu's index finger. He began to giggle again as he shook it gently before kissing it._

_There was a moment of silence as Chifuyu stared at her baby brother. After a second, she swiped her brother from her mother's arm and cooed at him with a small blush adorning her face. "Hello brother, I'm your sister." Chifuyu greeted and baby Ichika giggled softly as he held onto her sister, burying his head on the crook of her neck. Chifuyu smiled at this as she held her brother lovingly, similar to how her mother held onto him._

_Chifuyu turned her back on her mother and proceeded to walk to the exit. _

"_Who gave you permission to take him?" Isane asked in a cold tone, so cold that it sends shiver downs Chifuyu's and Kana's spine._

_Chifuyu, naturally, was afraid of her mother but when her brother's hold tighten, her fears banished as she picked up her katana and threw it to her mother._

_Isane caught the blade with the use of her index finger and thumb and proceeded to glare at her daughter._

_Chifuyu glared back as she held her brother protectively. "He will be sleeping in my room tonight." Chifuyu stated fiercely. "Recover your strength first; you can't protect yourself and him at your current condition." Chifuyu sneered at her before turning around and rushing out of the room._

_Isane glared at her daughter with hate before glancing at Kana, whom was looking at where Chifuyu use to stand._

_After a moment of silence, she spoke. "Aunt Isane, your son, can I have him when he comes of age?" Kana asked politely, an emotion present in her usual passive tone._

_Isane was taken aback by this. "You want my son, dear. Why?" Isane asked curiously._

"_Three reasons, one, Chifuyu wants him and whatever she wants, I will have. Two, those eyes filled with innocence and pureness, I want to corrupt it. Third, I think I am in love with him." Kana answered with an emotionless expression yet there was a blush on her cheeks. "Now if you pardon me, Aunt Isane, I must take him from your daughter before she does anything foolish with him." And with that, Kana left the room, leaving the leader of Phantom Task alone in her glee._

_**(End of Flashback)**_

Isane glanced at her son and held her tightly after remembering that faithful day. "Yes, Ichika, Kana would be the first candidate to be your wife. I assure you my dear; she is as dangerous as she is beautiful and I am sure that you and she will have wonderful children together."

_**(Scene Change)(Ichika POV)**_

I was in the middle of a pitch black room. I couldn't see anything in this room but a mirror that shined some sort of silver light. I stared at that mirror oddly, mesmerize by the beautiful silver light that reflected my appearance.

I could see myself adorned in my I.S Academy uniform. That alone is not strange, what is strange and what caught my attention is the fact that the silver mirror was showing me something, something akin to a memory.

"_MOTHER, MOTHER, WHERE IS NEE-SAMA! WHERE IS MY NEE-SAMA!"_ A man in his early twenties who looks like me asked hysterically. I could not help but stare at the man. He looks just like me only older and with longer hair, his hair reaching to his waist which made him look like a girl (I made a mental note to never let my hair grow that long) and he has a scar running across his right eye. His body is more muscular compare to mine and that is noticeable even with the clothes that he was wearing.

"_Calm down Ichigo," _A woman who looks to be in her early forties reprimanded him gently as she grabbed the man, who is named Ichigo, and was forcibly restraining him from entering the room. My eyes widen when at the face of the old woman. The woman resembled Chifuyu-nee a bit.

"No way," I muttered as I touch the mirror. I could not help but notice that the room that they were in a room that resembled Japanese room with a hint of Roman Design.

"_GET OFF ME, MOTHER, GET OFF ME!"_ Ichigo struggled as he tried to throw his mother of him but to no avail. Man, the woman is strong. "NEE-SAMA, NEE-SAMA, I'M COMING!"

"_Calm down, you stupid fool!"_ The woman snarled angrily. That woman reminded me off Chifuyu-nee for some reason.

"_NEE-SAMA! NEE-SAMA!"_ Ichigo ignored his mother's words and was still struggling to barge into the room. _"NEE-SAMA NEEDS ME, SHE NEEDS ME, BY THE GODS SHE NEEDS ME!" _He roared desperately as he threw his _**own **_mother over his shoulder.

The woman, regardless of her age, gracefully landed on her feet and proceeded to glare at her son. _"She is strong, stronger than you, stronger than me. A person bearing the Seed will not die by simple child birth."_ The woman scolded him with a fierce look. I could tell that Ichigo-san's mother was physically restraining herself from attacking her own son.

"_I DON'T CARE; MY NEE-CHAN NEEDS ME, MY CHILD, MY NEE-CHAN!" _He shouted as he pushed his mother to the ground but was quickly countered when she grabbed his hand and proceeded to twist it in an odd angle. Ichigo-san let out a loud scream as he collapsed to the ground.

"_Calm down, brat."_ His mother snarled at him before hitting him on the head with a metal fan. Again, that technique of knocking resembled Chifuyu-nee's technique. It was odd, this woman resembled Chifuyu-nee in many aspect, attitude, technique, temper, and even in looks.

The woman may be in her early forties but she looks to be in her late twenties or early thirties. The only reason I knew she was in her early forties is because I am used to dealing with woman with indescribable beauty.

"_MOTHER, LET ME GO, LET ME GO!"_ Ichigo-san requested desperately and his request was answered by his mother applying more pressure on his arm, making him scream in pain. I head think I heard a bone crack

"_Orimura Ichigo, calm down, I, Orimura Karin, does not have a son that is such a faithless coward."_ Wait a minute, WHAT?

Orimura Ichigo! Orimura Karin! What the hell? Why do THEY have the same last name as me?

My knees buckled a bit as an unlikely thought suddenly hit me like a train.

"No way, there is no way." I muttered to myself in disbelief.

Ichigo-san was about to speak when the door opened, revealing a woman wearing a doctor's coat. This doctor is a woman in her early thirties and she was looking at the two with a disapproving look. _"I don't care if your family owns this place, no screaming inside __**my **__hospital." _The woman told the two coldly.

Ichigo-san was able to push his mother off him and proceeded to pin the doctor on the wall. The doctor was not surprised by this act but she looks irritated regardless. _"My nee-sama, how is my nee-sama?" _This guy is just like me. If Chifuyu-nee will go to labor, I would probably be this frantic.

I would probably beat the living hell out of the man who impregnated first though.

"_Relax, Ichigo-sama, she is fine, your twin sister is fine."_ Ichigo-san visibly relaxes after knowing that. He let go of the doctor as he tried to composed himself. _"Is the child, my child, what is the status of my child?"_ I was taken aback by this question. He doesn't mean…no way…no way…he has got to be kidding me… you mean to tell me…

I could not move my eyes from the mirror as the doctor gave him a bright smile. If that question means what I think it mean then….. _"Congratulations, you and your sister have a healthy baby boy." _

My eyes would have fallen off from my head if it could. I now understand why Ichigo-san is frantic. The woman inside the room is not just his sister but also his wife.

I'm not disturbed by this type of relationship; after all, love is love. Love can be disgusting to other, it could be disturbing, it could be a sin, but that doesn't change the fact that love is love.

Chifuyu-nee once told me that love is a sin. There's no color in sin. There's only darkness. That's why, any kind of light in that darkness looks really beautiful.

Love is darkness and that two that shares the feeling of love is the light, and that made the light beautiful through that darkness.

I smiled a bit as I watch Ichigo-san entered the room. The woman that I assume to be his sister and wife was behind a black curtain but I could see the outline of a woman cradling a child.

Ichigo-san smiled as he slowly moved the curtain.

When I saw the woman, I almost collapsed. She looks like Chifuyu-nee; she looks to be the carbon copy of Chifuyu-nee. The only difference between them was the expression on their face, Chifuyu-nee always has a stern expression while this woman had a gentle expression on her, an expression that I have seen on Chifuyu-nee's face a handful of times.

"_Isane-neesama."_

"_Ichigo-kun"_

The greeted each other before their lips met. They kiss passionately and I cannot help but feel angry.

I'm not angry at the fact that their siblings, incestuous relationship is okay as long as the two love each other. No, I am angry because I am seeing what I want right in front of me.

I have always wanted to kiss my sister like that.

Their kiss lasted for a minute before Ichigo-san pulled back. Isane-san smiled at her brother and husband before listing the bundle in her arms. The bundle contained a baby boy and baby was smiling at Ichigo-san.

"_That is our son, right?" _Ichigo-san whispered gleefully as he glanced at the baby in his sister's arms.

"_Yes, do you want to hold?" _Isane-san asked weakly.

"_Yes," _Ichigo-san replied with a tender tone as he took the boy from her arms to his. He smiled lovingly at his son as the baby boy smile at his father. _"Hello little one, I'm your father."_ Ichigo-san said and the boy giggled before looking at his father with his eyes. Ichigo-san was taken aback for a moment but he smile regardless.

"_He looks like you."_

"_He has your eyes."_

"_I know," _Isane-san answered sadly._ "What would be his name?" _Isane-san asked her brother with a meek tone.

Ichigo-san looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking. _"Ichika, Orimura Ichika, how does that name sound?"_

The mirror suddenly reflected my reflection and as I heard my name. I could not help but collapsed as that scene replayed in my mind.

What did I just watch?

"_**You witness your birth."**_ An eerie voice answered my unasked question. Before I could react, I was forced up to my feet and I found myself staring at a woman wearing a pure white dress with her face hidden by a white umbrella.

"…_**get away from him, my dear."**_ The eerie voice ordered and the woman in white robes did as she was told as she backed away from me. _**"So you finally awaken me, took you long enough." **_The voice commented with an annoyed tone.

"Who are you? Show yourself." I demanded as a chill run up my spine. For some reason, I feel scared.

"_**You're asking me who I am; I can't believe you would ask such an absurd question." **_The voice let out a sigh before the dark room lit up. My eyes landed on the woman clad in a white dress standing beside…My eyes widen significantly at the sight of the person besides the woman…

It was me…It was me only with lilac eyes.

On a side note, we were in some kind of castle with gothic design.

"_**To answer your question, I'm you but you are not me, not yet anyway." **_He answered casually before taking the woman besides him in his arms. He then raised his left arm and plunged it to her chest. I stared in wonderment as stripes of silver light spiraled around them while his hands went through her chest. The woman let out a loud moan as he pulled out his arm. His arm was now enveloped by a thick and enormous crystal shard which he raised above his head.

The crystal shattered and an enormous sword appeared in his hands.

I stared dumbfounded as the woman collapsed to her knees while my look alike stared at the sword. _**"Thank you, my wonderful…"**_ There was no sound that came out of his lips when he said her name.

My look alike glared at me as he pointed the massive sword at me. _**"You make me sick," **_He snarled at me as the sword suddenly emitted threads of silver light that spiraled around the sword. _**"You don't even know the name of the Goddess that has been giving you strength, disgusting filt."**_

Before I could reply, I suddenly found the giant sword being swung to my head.

_**(Scene Change)(Ichika POV)**_

I bolted up as I felt sweat pouring down my forehead.

WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST WITNESS?

"Nice reflexes," A cold and impassive voice commented as I finally took note the room that I was in. It was a spacious room, similar to the room that I have in I.S Academy. The room only has four things in it, a large bed, a 24 inch flat screen TV, a computer terminal, and a couch. I glanced at the bed only to see a scythe hacking the bed in half. My eyes turned to the person who was holding the weapon and my eyes widen even more at the sight of the woman holding the weapon.

If there was a word to describe this woman, vampire would be it. Pale whiter skin, hazel colored and narrowed eyes, tall yet slender build, long, luscious black hair that touches the ground and was tied in a braid, eyes and lips as red as blood. She was mesmerizing.

Yet, I knew that this woman before me is strong. Something tells me that she is as strong as Chifuyu-nee, not as skilled but more ruthless.

"Not bad, not bad, ordinary people would not have dodged that." She muttered before effortlessly lifting the massive scythe and placing it over her shoulders. Her crimson eyes gazed at me and I automatically stiffened. "Orimura Ichika, right?"

I nodded dumbly, not wanting to anger this powerhouse. "The last time I've seen you was when you were two years old." She said to me before giving me a curt bow. "My name is Orimura Kana, I am your cousin and the First Division Commander of Phantom Task." She introduced herself politely and I cannot help but gawked at her introduction.

Okay, let's do this slowly. She's my cousin, that itself is shocking. She's a commander of Phantom Task, okay, now that, that is unbelievably shocking.

I don't know why but a cold chill suddenly run up my spine as I move my head to the side…Just in time to prevent my head from being cut off when a bladed weapon sailed past my head. I didn't know how but Kana was suddenly standing in front of me, a small, beautiful smile plastered on her beautiful, vampire like face.

"Dear cousin, I'm not just a commander, I'm the First Division Commander, which means that I am the second in command of the entire organization. I am second only to your mother, please remember that, my văr (Romanian for cousin), my soţul (Romanian for husband)." I didn't know why but I blush a bit when she called me soţul. The voice that she used was cold yet I could feel tenderness in her tone.

Even though I was under the dangerous gaze of this woman, I am composed enough to understand her last stement and one word rang in my mind. "Mother, I have a mother?" I voiced my disbeleief causing her to smirked.

"Everybody, my dear soţul,has a mother, even if they do not acknowledge them, it will not change the fact that we all have a mother." Kana stated camly and coldly before letting out a sigh. "That woman truly is a failure, no wonder Aunt disonwed that damn woman from the family." She commented with a venomous tone.

"Who are you referring to?" I asked but deep within me, I could feel great anger towards her.

"I'm talking about your worthless older sister, of course." She said and all my restrains vanish. I suddenly stood up and grabbed her by the throat before viciously slamming her to the bed that she had split in half. I pinned her harshly to the bed as I grabbed her enormous scythe and press the blade of the weapon to her neck.

"_**Never insult her!" **_I snarled at her and I was surprised by my voice. It sounded demonic. It suddenly hit me that I was holding a gigantic weapon effortlessly and I know that the weapon was heavy but, for me, the weapon seem to weigh like a feather.

A cold chuckle rang in the room and I gazed at the woman before me. I was startled when she smiled at me. That beautiful smile sends shivers down my spine as I felt my blood being drained from me. Yet, for some reason, her chuckle made me attracted to her for it sounded beautiful, very beautiful.

The fact that her beauty, like Chifuyu-nee and Madoka, is mezmorizing and she possesses a body, I cannot even believe that I am saying, that is much more curvyer than my own sister is also very appealing. She seems to notice this as she lowered her robed a bit just to show me her smooth shoulders and some part of her cleavage.

"Do you like what you see, soţul?" She asked me with a seductive tone and I now know why she resembled a vampire. She possessed the beauty of the creature as well as its fangs. "I could show you more if you so desire, just as long as you have those lilac eyes."

I looked at her strangely before using the blade of the scythe as a mirror. I could not help but be surprised as the color of my eyes change from brown to lilac.

"Those eyes are the eyes of the emperor." She told me with a gleeful tone. "Your mother has those eyes as well, but you do not possess her strength or abilities." As she said those words, she threw me off her and grabbed me by the throat before pushing me to a wall forcefully. The air was knocked out of my lungs as she choked me with one of her hands before lifting me a couple of inches from the ground. "Even with the Seed Syndrome, you are still too weak to fight me, disappointingly weak but I'll change that." She told me as she caresses my cheeks with her slender fingers, her finger nails cutting my cheeks, drawing blood.

"Kana," A gentle yet powerful tone echoed in the room. "Let go of my son if you still want your head to remain on your shoulders." The voice threatened and it was enough for Kana to release her hold onto me.

I slumped to the ground and I watch her turn her back on me and kneel before a woman.

I stared at the woman with an expression of shock and disbelief. This woman, who looks to be in her early twenties, looks exactly like Chifuyu-nee only with shorter hair and lilac eyes. Unlike Chifuyu-nee that has black hair that reaches her waist and brown eyes that emittied strictness and power, this woman has shoulder length hair with lilac eyes that emitted gentleness and danger.

"Kana, I know you are excited in seeing my son after all this years but you shouldn't be so rough on him. After all, knowing the person who raised him for the past fourteen years, he will not be use to our rough treatment." The look alike of Chifuyu-nee reprimanded Kana and she merely bowed her head even lower.

"My apologies, Aunt Isane." Kana said respectfully.

The woman patted Kana on her head before gazing at me with her lilac eyes.

I stiffened when those lilac eyes landed on me. I felt a sword stabbing me on the chest. I felt death embracing me from behind as I felt undesirable dread overwhelming my very being. My heart began beating wildly as it threatened to explode inside my chest. My hands flew to my neck as I tried to calm my breathing. I could barely breathe as this woman's aura hovered over me like, choking the life out of me.

I felt like I was being held in the fist of a deity, a powerful deity that could crush me if she so wills it.

My survival instincts screamed at me that I should be running right now, that this demon in human's skin was dangerous and I should be running VERY far VERY fast in the other direction.

But for some reason, I could not move, I couldn't even blink. My senses were robed from me as the woman slowly approached.

But for some reason, a small part of me tells me that this woman will not kill me, not yet anyway.

The woman, Isane is her name I think, knelt before me and caress my wounded cheek. "You may not know this, my son, but I am your mother, I am Orimura Isane, the matriarch of the Orimura family and the leader of Phantom Task." She introduced herself as she caresses my hair lovingly.

I took a deep breath as I tried to smile at her presences. "G-G-G-Good Morning, mother," I greeted weakly.

I am not afraid of her, I am not even terrified of her but I knew, if I anger this woman, I know that she would not kill me but she would butcher every single person I cared about.

She smiled at me as she helped me up my feet. "Come on now, my beloved son, we have a lot of things to talk about." She told me as she led me out of the room.

I first thought that Chifuyu-nee is the strongest in the world. That belief of mine was shattered by this woman who claims…no… she is our mother. I am sure of it.

Our mother, I am pretty sure if she and Chifuyu-nee fought, our mother would not just win but she would, most probably, slaughter Chifuyu-nee. She, our mother, is very dangerous, so dangerous in fact that I doubt if Chifuyu-nee is even a match for her.

There is one thing I know for certain though...

I now know where Chifuyu-nee and Madoka got their good looks from.

* * *

><p><em><strong>First things first, hardest chapter I have ever written in my life…and probably one of the worst….<strong>_

_**I check the entire chapter but I know I still have some grammar errors….Sorry for that….**_


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